Community
Burning Can Resume November 1st in Lassen, Modoc and Plumas Counties, Permits Still Required
CAL FIRE says the burn permit suspension in Lassen, Modoc and Plumas counties will lift at 6:00 AM November 1st, 2026. Valid permits, permissive burn days and pile burning safety rules remain required.
Residents in Lassen, Modoc and Plumas counties will be able to resume permitted vegetation burning beginning Sunday, November 1st, 2026, but checking the burn day and following safety requirements will still be essential.
CAL FIRE's Lassen Modoc Unit announced that the burn permit suspension in the three counties will lift at 6:00 AM. Unit Chief Joshua Kern is canceling the suspension, allowing people with current, valid agricultural and residential burn permits to resume burning on permissive burn days.
Permits are still required
Lifting the suspension does not remove the permit requirement. CAL FIRE says its burn permits will remain required until further notice.
Agricultural burns must be inspected by CAL FIRE before burning until the end of peak fire season. Inspections may also be required for other types of burns. Residents should contact their local Air Quality Management District to confirm the requirements that apply to their burn.
Check the burn day before lighting a pile
Residents must verify that it is a permissive burn day before burning. They must also check whether burning is restricted to specific hours.
Call 530-251-4403 for the phone system directing callers to burn day and hour information for the Lassen, Modoc and Plumas air pollution control districts.
The 6:00 AM lifting of the suspension does not mean every property owner can light a pile at that hour. Local burn day decisions, permitted hours and permit conditions still apply.
What can go in the pile?
Only dry, natural vegetation, such as leaves, pine needles and tree trimmings, may be burned. Trash, painted wood and other prohibited debris cannot be burned.
CAL FIRE says piles should be no larger than four feet in diameter and four feet in height. Material may be added as the pile burns down. The notice also calls for clearing a 10 foot diameter down to bare soil around piles.
Do not burn on windy days. Keep a shovel and a water source nearby, and make sure an adult attends the fire at all times.
Cooler weather does not remove the need for caution
CAL FIRE says cooler temperatures, higher humidity and the possibility of winter weather have begun reducing the wildfire threat. Property owners and residents are still being asked to follow all burn guidelines and maintain control of their fires.
People who allow a fire to escape their control or burn onto neighboring property can face civil or criminal liability.
The agency says safe residential pile burning can help landowners reduce fire hazards. State, federal and local land management and fire agencies will also use this seasonal opportunity for prescribed burning intended to improve forest health and resilience.
Before lighting a pile, confirm the day's conditions, permit requirements and any local restrictions.
Visit CAL FIRE for official burning information
Story By North State Now