PLEASE BE ADVISED: Per the press release above Cal Fire BEU has suspended ALL burn permits in MONTEREY and SAN BENITO COUNTIES until further notice. Presently, only ag burns in Santa Cruz County are allowed.

The 2020 Backyard Burn Season is CLOSED. It will reopen on DECEMBER 1st, 2020. If you have registered an account, please, retain your log in information to renew your burn permit!

Smoke management is the use of techniques such as meteorology, fuel moisture, fuel loading, fire suppression and other burn methods to minimize the smoke impacts from fires. Accordingly, the purpose of the MBARD's Smoke Management Program is to minimize the air quality impacts of open burning.

Backyard burning is the burning of green waste material by occupants of single- or two-family dwellings.  Backyard burn season is December 1 through April 30.

    BROCHURE: Backyard Burning of Dry Vegetation in San Lorenzo Valley

    BROCHURE: Backyard Burning of Dry Vegetation in Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties (excluding San Lorenzo Valley)

 Agricultural burning is used in the growing of crops, the raising of fowl, animals, or bees as a gainful occupation.

   Agricultural Burn Permit Online Application

Prescribed burning is the use of broadcast or pile burns for the purposes of managing wildlands, range improvement, or improving wildlife habitat.

Apply here for a Prescribed Burn Permit.

Development burns are for disposing of dry vegetation grown on a property being developed for commercial or residential purposes. Please contact the MBARD office to apply for a Development Burn Permit.

Applicable Rules and Regulations:

Burn Type Information

Health Effects of Smoke

For more information please contact: