Cal Fire to suspend burn permits in San Luis Obispo County

San Luis Obispo County Cal Fire officials said beginning at 8 p.m. Monday they will suspend all fire permits for outdoor residential burning because of increased fire danger posed by the high volume of dead grass and hotter conditions in the region.

The suspension bans all residential outdoor burning of landscape debris such as branches and leaves, according to a news release.

Campfires are still allowed within organized campgrounds or on private property, and a campfire permit can be obtained at local fire stations or online at PreventWildfireCA.org.

“We are asking that residents not be lulled into a false sense of security on the heels of an exceptionally wet winter,” Cal Fire director Ken Pimlott said in the release. “The abundant dead grass will only serve as a fuse to the heavier vegetation still suffering the lasting effects of five years of extreme drought.”

Cal Fire officials urge residents to consider the following tips during wildfire season:

• Clear all dead or dying vegetation 100 feet from around all structures
• Landscape with fire-resistant/drought-tolerant plants
• Find alternative ways to dispose of landscape debris, such as chipping or hauling it to a biomass energy or green waste facility

This story was originally published June 16, 2017 at 1:55 PM with the headline "Cal Fire to suspend burn permits in San Luis Obispo County."