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Burn rules and EPA data checked
Writing about a no-burn day, a wood smoke alert, or buying a cleaner stove? Everything below is free to quote or link. Each fact links to the official source, so you can check it yourself.
Quick facts
- 265 wood and pellet stoves are currently certified by the EPA, from 49 makers.
- Only 39 of 156 certified wood stoves (25%) put out half the legal smoke limit or less. Full study.
- EPA's own Burn Wise site stopped updating on Oct. 30, 2025 and now calls itself "a historical record." Readers looking for current rules need their local air agency.
- Burn rules are set locally. We cover 14 areas; each page links to the agency's own daily status.
Burn rules by area
Link readers to the page for your area. It explains the season, what's banned, who's exempt, and where to check today's call.
California
- LA, Orange, Riverside & San Bernardino counties. When: November 1 to the end of February. Enforced by South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD). Official status.
- San Francisco Bay Area. When: All year (since October 1, 2025). Enforced by Bay Area Air District. Official status.
- Fresno, Bakersfield & the San Joaquin Valley. When: November 1 to the end of February. Enforced by San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Official status.
- Sacramento County. When: November through February. Enforced by Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District. Official status.
- San Luis Obispo County. When: Burn-day status posted for coastal and inland areas. Enforced by San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District. Official status.
- Mammoth Lakes & the Eastern Sierra. When: Mandatory no-burn days when particle pollution gets high. Enforced by Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District. Official status.
Washington
- Washington State. When: Burn bans are called when air quality gets bad, any time of year. Enforced by Washington Department of Ecology (plus local clean air agencies). Official status.
Oregon
- Oregon. When: Local programs, mostly fall through spring. Enforced by Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (plus local programs). Official status.
Colorado
- Denver & the Front Range. When: November through March. Enforced by Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Official status.
Utah
- Northern Utah (Wasatch Front). When: Starts November 1. Enforced by Utah Division of Air Quality. Official status.
Alaska
- Fairbanks & North Pole. When: Winter alerts. Enforced by Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. Official status.
Nevada
- Reno & Washoe County. When: Daily burn code starts November 1. Enforced by Northern Nevada Public Health. Official status.
Arizona
- Phoenix & Maricopa County. When: Restricted-burn days are declared when air quality is poor. Enforced by Maricopa County Air Quality Department. Official status.
New Mexico
- Albuquerque & Bernalillo County. When: October through February. Enforced by City of Albuquerque Environmental Health. Official status.
More you can use
- Sortable table of all 265 certified stoves: smoke, efficiency, heat, firebox size, with a link to each EPA record.
- Selling a home with a wood stove: where an old stove has to go before a sale.
- Wood vs. pellet stoves and gas vs. electric fireplaces, with cost calculators.
- Where our information comes from and how we check it.
Contact
Fireplace Facts Editorial Team: [email protected]. We can pull numbers for your area or a specific stove model. We don't take payment for coverage, and we'll correct anything you find wrong.
Rules checked Nov 1, 2026. Agencies change rules; their own pages are the final word.