Prescribed Burning
What is prescribed burning?
Prescribed burning is the planned use of fire by trained professionals to safely remove excess vegetation such as grass, brush, and wood debris. This helps reduce wildfire risk and support healthier forests and landscapes.
Why it matters
Wildfires can produce extremely high levels of air pollution that impact public health across the Valley. Prescribed burning helps reduce the buildup of vegetation that fuels these large fires, lowering the risk of more severe smoke events in the future. While there may be short-term smoke during a prescribed burn, these activities are designed to prevent longer-lasting and more harmful smoke from uncontrolled wildfires.
How it is managed
The District's Rule 4106 sets the guidelines for how prescribed burning is planned and carried out in the Valley. It allows fire to be used to reduce wildfire risk and manage land, while requiring steps to limit smoke impacts through careful planning, coordination, monitoring, and public notice.
Rule 4106
Guides and regulates prescribed burning while minimizing public smoke impacts.
- Conducting burns only under appropriate weather conditions
- Monitoring wind and air quality to reduce smoke impacts
- Following approved plans designed to protect nearby communities
- Coordinating across agencies to support public health and safety
Balancing natural resource management, air quality, and public health is a shared responsibility, and agencies work together to ensure these activities are conducted safely and effectively.
What to expect
Smoke may be visible at times during prescribed burning. Crews monitor conditions closely and adjust operations as needed to help minimize impacts. The District works closely with partner agencies to provide timely public information about prescribed burning and potential smoke impacts.
You can stay informed with the following resources:
| Resource | What it offers | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| myRAAN.com | Real-time air quality alerts for your area | ||
| AirNow.gov | Federal air quality index lookup by location | ||
| Valley Air app | Free download for iOS and Android devices | ||
| EPA Fire & Smoke Map | Active fire and smoke locations across the U.S. |
Have prescribed burning questions?
Please contact District staff for information on planned burns, smoke management, and local air quality conditions.
For agencies
Initiating a prescribed burn? Start with the District's planning resources and required forms.
