California Air Resources Board

CARB's responsibilities for the agricultural and prescribed burning program, and those of the local air districts, are defined in Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, Section 80100, "Smoke Management Guidelines for Agricultural and Prescribed Burning." The requirements cover all facets of the program, including requirements for CARB’s daily burn decisions, smoke management plans, and local air districts’ notification and reporting requirements.

CARB’s Agricultural and Prescribed Burning Support Section specifies each day of the year as a permissive, marginal or restricted burn day for each air basin or other specified area. CARB’s determinations are generally binding on the local air districts, however local conditions and circumstances enable districts to modify CARB’s determination on a case-by-case basis.

Permissive Burn Day

Any day on which:

• CARB meteorologists determine that agricultural burning, including prescribed burning, will not significantly degrade regional air quality; and
• Burning consistent with smoke management guidelines and approved local smoke management programs is authorized by the local air district.

Marginal Burn

A day on which:

• CARB meteorologists determine that limited amounts of agricultural burning, including prescribed burning, for individual projects in specific areas for limited times will not significantly degrade regional air quality; and
• Burning is authorized by the air district consistent with smoke management guidelines.

No Burn

Any day on which CARB meteorologists determine that no agricultural burning, including prescribed burning, should be allowed by the affected air districts due to the likelihood of creating adverse smoke impacts or exacerbating existing air pollution, such as from wildfires.