04/25/2014 7:07 pm PST        Tracey Petersen, MML Reporter 

 

Sonora, CA — Mother Lode residents have less than a week of open burning before permits will be required.

Cal Fire says burn permits will be needed within the state responsibility areas including Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties beginning at 8 a.m., Thursday, May 1.

Beginning on that day, burning will only be allowed from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. on “permissive burn days” declared by the local Air Pollution Control District. You will be required to check to make sure it is a permissive burn day. You can find that out easily on myMotherLode.com by just clicking onto the home page.

Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit Chief Josh White warns, “Because the surrounding vegetation is already much drier than normal for this time of year, please use extra caution with all outdoor burning, or any other projects that could start a wildfire.”

Cal Fire also urges resident to create and maintain 100 feet of defensible space around all structures.

REMINDER:  Local volunteers will begin house to house inspections by mid-May.  For more information, click HERE to review the post from a few days ago.