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

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District amended Regulation 6, Rule 3 and Regulation 5 to reduce harmful woodsmoke emissions and mitigate wildfire risk across the San Francisco Bay Area. Rule 6-3 was updated to lower the mandatory wood-burning ban threshold from 35 to 25 micrograms per cubic meter of PM2.5 over a 24-hour forecast, making restrictions more responsive to air quality degradation. The rule also aligned its emission standards with the most current federal requirements under 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart AAA, ensuring that all wood-burning devices sold, supplied, or installed meet EPA’s latest certification benchmarks, and clarified performance criteria for EPA-Certified heaters claiming sole source heat exemptions. Regulation 5 was modified to extend the prescribed burn fee exemption to all burners, regardless of whether they are public agencies, private landowners, or nonprofits, broadening access to authorized burns for land management and fire training purposes. Minor procedural clarifications were included in both rules to improve implementation, enforcement, and authorization processes. These changes are grounded in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act, citing exemptions under Sections 15307, 15308, and 15269(c), as well as provisions of the Public Resources Code, to support environmental protection and public safety. The amendments apply statewide but are enforceable only within the nine Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma. There is no associated procurement contract, financial value, or federal acquisition regulation (FAR) structure; the action is purely regulatory and administrative, overseen by the District’s Principal Air Quality Specialist, Julia Luongo, with no contract clauses, payment terms, inspection protocols, or delivery schedules involved.