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Woodsmoke
Learn about the Air District's woodsmoke rule amendment process, which aims to further mitigate exposure to woodsmoke pollution in the Bay Area.
Find out about the status of the rule development process, workshops, hearings, and other events below.
The Air District is continually evaluating opportunities to improve two rules regarding woodsmoke pollution: Regulation 5: Open Burning and Regulation 6: Particulate Matter, Rule 3: Wood-burning Devices.
Amendments to two woodsmoke rules (Regulation 5 and Rule 6-3) were adopted by the Air District Board of Directors at a public hearing on October 1, 2025.
- Regulation 5: Open Burning (Amendments Adopted 10/1/2025)
- Regulation 6: Particulate Matter, Rule 3: Wood-burning Devices (Amendments Adopted 10/1/2025)
- Final Staff Report - Proposed Amendments to Woodsmoke Rules: Regulation 6, Rule 3: Wood-Burning Devices and Regulation 5: Open Burning
- Appendix A: Proposed Amendments to Rule 6-3 - Redlined Version
- Appendix B: Proposed Amendments to Regulation 5 - Redlined Version
- Appendix C: Socioeconomic Impact Analysis of Proposed Amendments to Rule 6-3
- Appendix D: Socioeconomic Impact Analysis of Proposed Amendments to Regulation 5
- Appendix E: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Notice of Exemption
- Appendix F: Response to Comments: Proposed Amendments to Regulation 6, Rule 3 and Regulation 5
Background
In 2025 Air District staff developed amendments to Regulation 5 and Rule 6-3 to reduce public exposure to harmful woodsmoke emissions by reducing woodsmoke-related air pollution and support wildfire risk reduction through improved use of prescribed burning. Woodsmoke is a major source of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the Bay Area at over 10 percent of PM2.5 emissions in the region on an annual basis with an even greater impact during the winter. Several Bay Area communities also identified wood burning as a local air quality concern through the Air District’s Assembly Bill 617 Community Health Protection Program. The West Oakland Community Action Plan recommended exploring restrictions on recreational fires, and the Richmond, North Richmond, and San Pablo “Path to Clean Air” Community Emissions Reduction Plan identified measures to reduce woodsmoke exposure through incentive programs and regulatory approaches. Additionally, while ambient levels of PM2.5 can vary seasonally, the region has seen little improvement in the trends of annual average PM2.5 concentrations over the past decade despite ongoing emissions mitigation efforts.
To determine appropriate rule development opportunities to curtail woodsmoke pollution, the Air District released a White Paper in 2024 detailing our understanding of woodsmoke emissions in the Bay Area
Amendments
The Air District Board of Directors adopted amendments and determined that the amendments are exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act on October 1, 2025 at a public hearing. Information and a recording of the public hearing can be found in the 'Hearings, Workshops and Other Events' table below.
- Regulation 5
The amendments to Regulation 5 waived operation fees for all persons conducting prescribed burns, expanding the current exemption that applies only to public agencies. This change is intended to reduce administrative barriers and improve operational flexibility for nonprofit organizations and private landowners who may be positioned to carry out prescribed burns in areas where public agency capacity is limited. The expansion of the exemption supports statewide efforts to expand beneficial fire practices for wildfire prevention and land stewardship.
- Rule 6-3
Under Rule 6-3, wood-burning curtailment is issued when the Air District forecasts that 24-hour average PM2.5 concentrations will exceed a designated threshold, previously set at 35 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3). The amendments lowered this 24-hour forecasted PM2.5 threshold to 25 µg/m3, triggering Mandatory Burn Bans at lower pollution levels. This change is intended to reduce short-term peaks in PM2.5 exposure from woodsmoke and contribute long-term exposure reductions as well. Multiple scientific and regulatory bodies cited evidence supporting the need for more health-protective PM2.5 standards.
To view or download the documents, please visit the “Documents” section at the bottom of this web page.
To receive information on updates and events associated with further woodsmoke rule development activities, please sign up for the Air District's Woodsmoke and Woodburning Appliances Rules and Regulations Email List at the bottom of this page.
Hearings, Workshops and Other Events
Throughout the rule development process, we provide information on upcoming and past workshops, hearings, and other events.
Documents
Supporting materials, such as staff reports, regulatory language, and other technical documents related to rule development, are posted throughout the development process.
Comments
The Air District provides opportunities for the public to submit comments throughout the development process, and posts comments received during the open public comment periods.
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Last Updated: 01/10/2025