Fire Prevention Specialist Teri Mizuhara of the Amador-El Dorado-Sacramento-Alpine Unit of Cal-Fire, said Cal-Fire “is reminding everyone that dooryard burn permits are required starting Sunday, May 1st.” The permits are issued to the public free of charge, are valid for three years from the date of issuance and allow for the burning of dry vegetation that originates on the landowners property. The permits do not allow the burning of trash, which is illegal.

Unit Chief Kelly Keenan is encouraging people to get an early start and begin disposing of all vegetation now when it is safe to burn the piles of tree branches, shrubs and weeds, versus later in the year when burning debris piles can escape.

Keenan said: “We still have a lot of extra vegetation” from the “very destructive December 2009 storms and if we don’t continue to aggressively dispose of this fuel, come summer our wildfires will have the potential of becoming catastrophic.” It is estimated that in some areas there is 33 percent more fuel on the ground than in past years from that single storm.

“Last year 23 percent of our wildland fires in Amador and El Dorado Counties were from burning debris piles that escaped the control of the person in charge,” Keenan said. To reduce risk of starting a wildfire, he advised to begin disposing of vegetation now when it is safer to burn.

Safety tips included keeping burn piles 4x4 feet in size. He advised to scrape the ground to bare dirt in a ten foot wide ring around each debris pile, “have a shovel and water supply (a charged hose) nearby to use in the event your fire escapes from the pile and make sure an adult is in attendance until the pile is completely extinguished.”

Free burn permits are available at most of the local staffed fire stations, Keenan said, and “don’t forget that the use of burn barrels is no longer legal in El Dorado or Amador counties.” For tips on burning debris piles safely or other fire safety topics, see the Cal-Fire website fact sheets. For alternatives to burning, contact Amador Fire Safe Council, or El Dorado Fire Safe Council for details on available programs.

Cal-Fire advised people to remember that they can only burn on “permissive burn days,” so don’t forget to call the local Air Quality Management District immediately prior to lighting burn piles. In Amador call (209) 223-6246. In El Dorado call (530) 621-5897.