Interested in burning your land? Here’s how we do it step by step:
- A landowner reaches out to a Plumas County Fire Safe Council Employee through the contact information on the footer of this site to inquire about burning piles and/or underburning (also called broadcast burning or prescribed burning) on their property.
- Landowner submits a membership application form. We recommend that landowners participate in a different underburn prior to engaging in the rest of this process.
- A PUC Representative schedules an appointment with landowner to visit property.
- PUC Rep. walks site, makes recommendations for site preparation, and reviews procedures & responsibilities with landowner.
- Landowner signs a liability waiver.
- Landowner designates a Burn Boss (RXB). The RXB can be the landowner or someone with adequate experience to lead a prescribed fire.
- Landowner and RXB write the Burn Plan together. RXB determines who they would like to lead certain parts of the burn (logistics, firing, holding, or others).
- Landowner contacts CAL FIRE to see if their burn requires a permit. If applicable landowner submits Burn Plan and applies for permit.
- Landowner contacts Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District to see if their burn requires a permit. If applicable, landowner applies for permit and pays fees. Burns over 10 acres also need a Smoke Management Plan.
- Click HERE for our Permit Decision Matrix
- Landowner preps land based on PUC recommendations (and CAL FIRE’s if applicable). Landowner can recruit other PUC members to help.
- Landowner and PUC Rep. send out an email to get people to attend the burn. The Burn Plan can be shared with these individuals.
- On the day of the burn… RXB completes the PUC Go/No-Go Worksheet.
- RXB holds a briefing informing attendees of ultimate goals and individual assignments (aka “task, purpose, endstate”).
- RXB commences firing, keeps informed on fire weather and conditions throughout the day.
- At the end of the ignition period…. RXB holds on after action review/debrief.
- Landowner patrols firelines and mops up fire as necessary to avoid an escape. Landowner will patrol every day until the prescribed fire is completely cold.
Was that a lot of words? Read the PUC Underburn Process PDF HERE or the Pile Burn Process PDF HERE to find a simplified version.