BUTTE COUNTY, CA (MPG) - With February being the driest month since the 1850’s in California, warming temperatures and winds are quickly drying out the annual grass crop. The increasing fire danger posed by dead grass and hotter, drier conditions in the region is prompting CAL FIRE to suspend all burn permits for outdoor residential burning within the State Responsibility Area and the unincorporated areas of Butte County. This suspension took effect Monday, June 15, 2020 at 6:00 am and bans all residential outdoor burning of landscape debris such as branches and leaves.

“The last few years saw devastating wildfires, reminders that the public cannot let their guard down. Together, we must continue to adapt and evolve to be able to withstand the intensity of these fires, keeping in mind that the key way to mitigate the damage they cause is through prevention and preparation,” said Chief Thom Porter, CAL FIRE director. “The potential is great for the dry, hot weather that fueled the massive fires over the last few years to return again this year, so it is up to the public to be ready.”

“Being ready means finishing up the defensible space around your house,” said Butte Unit Interim Chief John Messina, “even without the benefits of burning, as the temperature heats up and humidity falls, there is plenty you can do to give yourself and your belongings the best chance to survive a wildfire.”

Since January 1, 2020, CAL FIRE and firefighters across the state have responded to more than 2,300 wildfires. Outdoor burning of landscape debris is no longer allowed. CAL FIRE is asking residents to take extra time to ensure they are prepared for wildfires by maintaining a minimum of 100 feet of Defensible Space around every building on their property and being prepared to evacuate if the time comes.

Here are some tips to prepare homes and property:

Clear all dead or dying vegetation 100 feet from around all structures; Landscape with fire-resistant plants and non-flammable ground cover; Find alternate ways to dispose of landscape debris like chipping or hauling it to a biomass energy or green waste facility.

The department may issue restricted temporary burning permits if there is an essential reason due to public health and safety. Agriculture, land management, fire training, and other industrial-type burning may proceed if a CAL FIRE official inspects the burn site and issues a special permit.