The PUC Process

Interested in burning your land? Here’s how we do it step by step:

1. 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.
   
2. Landowner submits a membership application form. We recommend that landowners participate in a different underburn prior to engaging in the rest of this process.
   
3. A PUC Representative schedules an appointment with landowner to visit property.
   
4. PUC Rep. walks site, makes recommendations for site preparation, and reviews procedures & responsibilities with landowner.
   
5. Landowner signs a liability waiver.
   
6. Landowner designates a Burn Boss (RXB). The RXB can be the landowner or someone with adequate experience to lead a prescribed fire.
   
7. 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).
   
8. Landowner contacts CAL FIRE to see if their burn requires a permit. If applicable landowner submits Burn Plan and applies for permit.
   
9. 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.
   
10. Click HERE for our Permit Decision Matrix
    
11. Landowner preps land based on PUC recommendations (and CAL FIRE’s if applicable). Landowner can recruit other PUC members to help.
    
12. Landowner and PUC Rep. send out an email to get people to attend the burn. The Burn Plan can be shared with these individuals.
    
13. On the day of the burn… RXB completes the PUC Go/No-Go Worksheet.
    
14. RXB holds a briefing informing attendees of ultimate goals and individual assignments (aka “task, purpose, endstate”).
    
15. RXB commences firing, keeps informed on fire weather and conditions throughout the day.
    
16. At the end of the ignition period…. RXB holds on after action review/debrief.
    
17. 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.