Burn permits and fire pits in Burlingame, California
Backyard brush or yard-waste burning isn't allowed in Burlingame: the Bay Area Air District's Regulation 5 bans open burning except 17 listed fire types, mostly agricultural, training and fire-hazard burns that a public official must set or allow. Recreational fires using clean dry wood, such as in a fire pit, and cooking fires are exempt, but recreational fires are banned during declared Mandatory Burn Ban (Spare the Air) periods.
| Open burning | Prohibited except 17 listed fire types [1] |
| Agricultural burning | Only on commercial farms [2] |
| Fire-hazard burns | Must be set or allowed by a fire official [6] |
| Recreational fires (fire pits) | Allowed with clean dry wood, except during Mandatory Burn Bans [9] |
| Cooking fires | Exempt [10] |
| Notification | Most allowed burns need Air District notice and a fee [3] |
| Penalty | Up to $10,000 per day [4] |
Air District rules
Burlingame is in the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, which controls outdoor burning region-wide. Its Regulation 5 bars anyone from setting fires in the district [5] except 17 types allowed on designated Burn days within set burn periods [1]. Most are agricultural, and agricultural burning is limited to commercial farms [2]. The others are natural resource management, flood debris, fire training, filmmaking, public exhibitions and similar official or permitted burns. None of the 17 is ordinary backyard or yard-waste burning. The closest, a fire-hazard reduction burn, must be set or allowed by a public fire official who finds it necessary and that the hazard can't be removed any other way [6], so it isn't something a homeowner can choose to do.
Notification and burn days
Where a fire type is allowed, most burners must notify the Air District and pay a fee first, and a local fire agency permit may also be needed [3]. The District declares each day a Burn or No Burn day based on weather. Violations can bring civil penalties of up to $10,000 per day [4].
Fire pits and recreational fires
Recreational fires are exempt from the general ban [7]. That covers campfires, bonfires and similar fires that use only clean dry wood and fire starter and aren't part of a business [8]. Fires only for cooking food are also exempt [10]. Recreational fires are not allowed during Mandatory Burn Ban periods, which the Air District declares as Spare the Air alerts [9]. We could not obtain Burlingame's municipal code or fire code amendments, so ask Central County Fire Department about any local fire pit rules, such as clearances or approved devices.
Illegal fires
Report illegal fires to the Air District at 1-800-334-ODOR. Check burn status at 1-800-HELP-AIR.
See how Burlingame compares with 8+ other California towns on burn permits & backyard fires →
Next steps
- Don't burn brush or yard waste; use the city's green-waste collection instead.
- Before using a wood-burning fire pit, check for a Spare the Air alert / Mandatory Burn Ban (1-800-HELP-AIR or baaqmd.gov), and burn only clean dry wood.
- Ask Central County Fire Department about fire pit and outdoor fireplace rules for your property.
Common questions
- Can I burn yard waste or brush in Burlingame, California?
- No. The Bay Area Air District's Regulation 5 bans open burning except 17 listed fire types, mostly agricultural, training and fire-hazard burns that a public official must set or allow. None of them is ordinary backyard or yard-waste burning, so use the city's green-waste collection instead.
- Are fire pits allowed in Burlingame, California?
- Yes, with limits. Recreational fires that use only clean dry wood and fire starter, such as in a fire pit, are exempt from the Air District's ban, but they are not allowed during Mandatory Burn Ban (Spare the Air) periods. Ask Central County Fire Department about any local fire pit rules, such as clearances or approved devices.
- Do I need a burn permit in Burlingame, California?
- For the few allowed fire types, most burners must notify the Bay Area Air District and pay a fee first, and a local fire agency permit may also be needed. Fire-hazard reduction burns must be set or allowed by a public fire official, so a homeowner can't simply choose to do one.
- What is the penalty for illegal burning in Burlingame, California?
- Violating the Air District's open-burning rule can bring civil penalties of up to $10,000 per day. Illegal fires can be reported to the Air District at 1-800-334-ODOR.
California rules on outdoor burning and fire pits
Outdoor burning is controlled mainly by your regional air district and CAL FIRE or your local fire agency, and city codes add more limits.
Statewide rules:
- No trash burning: since January 1, 2004, a California Air Resources Board rule has banned burning household garbage outdoors at homes, and burn barrels can't be used, even for vegetation. Dry vegetation grown on the property may be burned in open piles unless local rules prohibit it, on days the air district allows.
- Fire permits in wildland areas: in state responsibility areas and other areas CAL FIRE protects, burning brush or other vegetation needs a written permit during fire season, and at any time in some zones (Pub. Res. Code §4423).
- Cooking and recreational fires are not covered by the state open-burning ban (Health & Safety Code §41806). Air districts can still restrict them.
Examples of air district rules (check yours):
- Bay Area Air District: open burning is prohibited unless a specific exemption applies (Regulation 5). Recreational fires are allowed except during a Mandatory Burn Ban. During a Spare the Air Alert, it's illegal to burn wood in fireplaces, wood stoves or outdoor fire pits (Regulation 6, Rule 3).
- South Coast AQMD: residential burning (burning a home's combustible waste on site) is banned (Rule 444). From November through February, declared No-Burn days bar indoor and outdoor wood-burning devices, including fire pits and chimineas (Rule 445), with some exemptions.
Other districts have their own burn-day systems; check yours and your city fire code.
What the ordinance says
- BAAQMD fact sheet - Open Burning Regulation, Bay Area Air Quality Management District - Open Burning fact sheet (Regulation 5), p. 1
The Air District’s Regulation 5 prohibits open burning throughout the Bay Area with the exception of 17 types of fires that are allowed on designated Burn days during pre-established burn periods as shown in the open burning calendar.
- BAAQMD fact sheet - Open Burning Regulation, Bay Area Air Quality Management District - Open Burning fact sheet (Regulation 5), p. 1
Under Regulation 5, agricultural burning can take place only on farms that are operated for commercial purposes.
- BAAQMD fact sheet - Notification, Bay Area Air Quality Management District - Open Burning fact sheet (Regulation 5), p. 1
Regulation 5 requires most burners to notify the Air District and pay a fee prior to open burning.
- BAAQMD fact sheet - Notification, Bay Area Air Quality Management District - Open Burning fact sheet (Regulation 5), p. 1
Under state law, violations of the Air District’s open burning regulations may be subject to civil penalties of up to $10,000 per day.
- BAAQMD Reg. 5-301, BAAQMD Regulation 5 - Open Burning (amended October 1, 2025), p. 6
301.1 A person shall not ignite, cause to be ignited, permit to be ignited, or suffer, allow, or maintain any fires within the District.
- BAAQMD Reg. 5-401.6, BAAQMD Regulation 5 - Open Burning (amended October 1, 2025), p. 8
The fire must be set or allowed by any public fire official having jurisdiction, in the performance of official duty. The fire must, in the opinion of such officer, be necessary, and the fire hazard not able to be abated by any other means.
- BAAQMD Reg. 5-112, BAAQMD Regulation 5 - Open Burning (amended October 1, 2025), p. 3
5-112 Limited Exemption, Recreational Fires: A fire set for recreational purposes is exempt from the requirements of Section 301.
- BAAQMD Reg. 5-223, BAAQMD Regulation 5 - Open Burning (amended October 1, 2025), p. 6
5-223 Recreational Fires: A fire used for social, cultural or other activities including, but not limited to, campfires, bonfires, ceremonial fires, handwarming fires, raku or pit pottery curing fires, or fires conducted as part of an unusual event such as fire walking provided only clean dry wood and fire starter is used, and the activity is not part of a business for gainful occupation.
- BAAQMD Reg. 5-302, BAAQMD Regulation 5 - Open Burning (amended October 1, 2025), p. 6
5-302 Mandatory Burn Ban for Recreational Fires: No person shall ignite, cause to be ignited, permit to be ignited, or suffer, allow, or maintain any recreational fires during Mandatory Burn Ban periods, as defined in Regulation 6, Rule 3: Wood-Burning Devices, Section 6-3-301.
- BAAQMD Reg. 5-110, BAAQMD Regulation 5 - Open Burning (amended October 1, 2025), p. 3
110.1 Fires set only for cooking of food for human beings.