Moorpark Burn Bans Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Moorpark is located in southeastern Ventura County and falls entirely within the air quality jurisdiction of the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD). The VCAPCD — and not the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which governs neighboring Los Angeles County — is the sole regional agency responsible for declaring No-Burn advisories and issuing mandatory burning curtailment orders for all Ventura County communities, including Moorpark. Mandatory No-Burn days are declared when the VCAPCD forecasts that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations will rise to unhealthy levels, a condition most common during winter temperature inversions, stagnant air episodes, and dry Santa Ana wind events. During a mandatory No-Burn day, residents throughout Moorpark are prohibited from operating wood-burning fireplaces, traditional wood stoves, outdoor solid-fuel fire pits, chimineas burning wood, and any other appliance that combusts solid fuel. The VCAPCD posts current No-Burn day status at vcapcd.org, issues alerts through local media outlets, and operates an air quality information line at (805) 645-1400. Residents may also enroll in the district's Spare the Air email and text notification service for advance warning of upcoming No-Burn days.

Certain lower-emission appliances are exempt from mandatory No-Burn day restrictions under VCAPCD rules. Natural gas fireplaces, propane fireplaces, and gas-fired free-standing heaters are exempt because they generate negligible particulate emissions during combustion. EPA Phase II-certified pellet stoves and pellet inserts that meet the district's specific emission criteria may also qualify for exemption. Residents who depend on a wood-burning appliance as their sole source of heat for their primary residence may qualify for a hardship exemption on mandatory No-Burn days; contact VCAPCD directly at (805) 645-1400 to verify whether a hardship exemption applies before burning on a declared No-Burn day. Moorpark's inland valley location in the Arroyo Simi watershed, bounded by the Santa Susana Mountains to the south and the Tierra Rejada Valley to the north, creates favorable conditions for pollution trapping under low-level atmospheric inversions during winter months, underscoring the importance of VCAPCD No-Burn day compliance for maintaining local air quality.

Separate from and in addition to VCAPCD air quality regulations, the Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) — which provides structural and wildland fire protection to Moorpark — independently regulates outdoor and open burning within the city. Open burning of green waste, tree trimmings, agricultural debris, lumber, trash, construction waste, or any other combustible material on residential or commercial property within Moorpark is prohibited year-round under VCFD rules and VCAPCD regulations. Moorpark's location at the eastern edge of a designated High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone in the Tierra Rejada Hills and Santa Susana Pass area makes fire code compliance particularly critical. Residents should use the city's curbside green waste and organics recycling program — or schedule a special large-item pickup through the city's waste hauler — as the approved alternative to open burning for vegetation and yard debris disposal. During National Weather Service Red Flag Warning conditions, the VCFD may issue additional restrictions or a complete prohibition on all outdoor burning, including recreational fire pits, regardless of VCAPCD No-Burn day status.