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Regulation 6 Rule 3: Wood-burning Devices - 2025 Amendment (Current)
Learn about the Air District's process for amendments to Regulation 6, Rule 3: Wood-Burning Devices (Rule 6-3).
Find out about the status and anticipated timeline of the rule development process. Information on hearings, workshops, and other events is provided below, along with supporting documents and materials.
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
Regulation 6, Rule 3: Wood-Burning Devices is aimed at protecting public health by reducing air pollution from wood smoke. Air District staff consider woodsmoke as an important source to evaluate as it represents over 10 percent of the fine particulate matter (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: for example, 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.
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. Amendments in 2025 lowered this 24-hour forecasted PM2.5 threshold to 25 micrograms per cubic meter (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 to long-term exposure reductions as well. Multiple scientific and regulatory bodies have cited evidence supporting the need for more health-protective PM2.5 standards.
The Air District Board of Directors adopted the 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.
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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