Burn Day Status
Oct 23-26. Due to rain
-
Coastal
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Inland
Oct 23-26. Due to rain
Coastal
Inland
Prescribed burning is the controlled application of fire to the land to reduce wildfire hazards, control plant diseases, improve rangeland and wildlife habitats, and restore natural ecosystems. Sometimes called a controlled burn or prescribed fire, prescribed burning is one of the most important tools used to manage fire today. As catastrophic wildfires continue to be a growing concern in California, the use of prescribed burning to reduce hazardous fuels is projected to increase.
SLO County APCD reviews prescribed burn projects and works with agencies such as CAL FIRE, State Parks, tribal partners, local jurisdictions, and other land managers to ensure burns occur under conditions that promote good smoke dispersion. Our role is to manage smoke, not necessarily the fire itself. Important roles of a local APCD include:
Our primary responsibility is protecting air quality and minimizing exposure to smoke, especially for sensitive populations. We monitor air quality and smoke impacts, issue public notifications and smoke advisories when needed, provide information through air quality forecasts and alerts and respond to complaints or concerns regarding smoke impacts.
AirAware Text Notifications
You can sign up to get mobile alerts (text message notifications) right to your phone when we issue press releases related to large prescribed burns or wildfire impacts. Click here to find out more and sign up.
While APCD does not decide where or why burns occur, we recognize prescribed fire as an important land management tool. Prescribed burns reduce hazardous fuel loads, help restore natural ecosystems and most importantly, reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires that can produce far greater and longer-lasting air quality and other environmental impacts.
California Air Resources Board's Smoke Smotter App
CARB's Prescribed Burning Website
Prescribed burning is often one of the most cost-effective and practical methods for reducing wildfire risk, improving ecosystem health, and managing vegetation. When conducted properly and under ideal meteorological conditions, prescribed burning typically has minimal impacts on air quality.
While prescribed fire is a valuable tool, it is not the only method available for vegetation management. Mechanical thinning, mastication, mowing, hand crews, grazing, pile burning, and chipping all play important roles depending on the landscape and management objectives. Chipping, for example, can be an effective way to reduce smaller woody material near homes or in accessible areas.
No single treatment works everywhere. In many cases, the most effective vegetation management strategy combines multiple methods. Mechanical thinning or hand crews may first remove larger trees or dense brush, followed by chipping or pile burning to reduce slash. Prescribed fire can then be used to maintain those treated areas over time, preventing fuels from quickly accumulating again. Using the right tool in the right place often provides the best balance of cost, effectiveness, and long-term landscape health.
By reducing accumulated vegetation before wildfire occurs, prescribed burning can lower future firefighting costs, reduce the intensity and severity of future wildfires, improve firefighter safety, and help protect nearby communities, infrastructure, watersheds, wildlife habitat, and other natural resources.
When used alongside other land management practices, prescribed fire is an essential tool for building more resilient landscapes and reducing the long-term impacts of catastrophic wildfires.
Property owners interested in reducing wildfire risk around their homes can find valuable guidance through the local Fire Safe Council. Fire Safe Councils offer resources on defensible space, home hardening, vegetation management, evacuation preparedness, grant opportunities, and community wildfire planning. Learn more by visiting the SLO Fire Safe Council: https://firesafeslo.org/