Air District issues prescribed burn notice for October 17 - 24, 2025

When timed carefully to minimize air quality impacts near the ground, prescribed burns are an effective forest management tool that can help reduce the risk of large, catastrophic wildfires, which have much greater impacts on air quality. In recent years, the Bay Area has seen an increased number of days when air quality is affected by large wildfires. Prescribed burns help reduce fuel loads and create far less smoke than wildfires. Burn days are based on the weather and air quality forecasts to ensure optimal smoke dispersion conditions and to minimize localized impacts.

During a prescribed burn, there is a potential for smoke impacts that could last four to six hours or longer. If this occurs, the community near the prescribed burn should protect their health by avoiding exposure. Smoke can irritate the eyes and airways, causing coughing, a scratchy throat and irritated sinuses. Elevated particulate matter in the air can trigger wheezing in those who suffer from asthma, emphysema or COPD. Elderly persons, children and individuals with respiratory illnesses are particularly susceptible to elevated air pollution levels and should take extra precautions to avoid exposure. The public can check for real-time smoke pollution levels in their local area with the U.S. EPA’s Fire and Smoke Map.

This notice only includes prescribed burns that are 75 acres or larger or that are expected to produce smoke impacts lasting four hours or more across a broad geographic area.  For more information about these prescribed burns, please visit the Prescribed Fire Information Reporting System, or contact the representative for each prescribed burn. A prescribed burn may be canceled or rescheduled at any time for various reasons by the lead agency or land manager. 

View Prescribed Burn Notice(234 Kb PDF, 2 pgs, posted 2025/10/17).