Amendments to Woodsmoke Rules Regulation 6, Rule 3: Wood-Burning Devices and Regulation 5: Open Burning

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has implemented regulatory amendments to Regulation 6, Rule 3 regarding wood-burning devices and Regulation 5 regarding open burning. These changes are designed to mitigate public exposure to harmful woodsmoke emissions and reduce wildfire risks throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, covering multiple jurisdictions including Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma counties. Under the amended Rule 6-3, the 24-hour average forecast threshold for mandatory wood-burning bans has been lowered from 35 to 25 micrograms per cubic meter. Additionally, the rule now aligns emissions ratings with the most current standards in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 60, Subpart AAA, and updates performance emission standards for EPA-certified wood heaters to ensure consistency with standards in effect at the time of registration for sole source heat exemptions. Regarding Regulation 5, the amendments expand the prescribed burn fee exemption to include all prescribed burns, removing the previous restriction that limited this exemption to public agencies. The District also introduced minor clarifications to improve the authorization and implementation processes for both prescribed burns and burns conducted for fire training purposes. This regulatory action was formalized through a submittal to the Office of Planning and Research on October 2, 2025, and includes necessary certifications regarding California Environmental Quality Act exemptions. The project is managed by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, with Julia Luongo serving as the Principal Air Quality Specialist.