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Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

Lake County Grand Jury • 2024-2025

A Burning Issue in Lake County

38 pages
View PDF View Full Original

Findings 18 findings

F1 Page 60
Communications between LCAQMD and the fire districts back in 2024 resulted in a decision by both parties that the fire districts would no longer be issuing Residential Burn Permits independently of LCAQMD.
F2 Page 60
In 2024-2025, LCAQMD entered into an agreement with the six fire districts that all RBPs were to be issued online, in-person, and on the telephone only through LCAQMD.
F3 Page 60
There is a difference between the RBPs issued through the LCAQMD website and those issued through the Cal Fire website, which go directly to the fire districts and require purchasers to watch an instructional video on controlled burns before RBP approval. Many of these RBPs are for “exception” burns, and, when the location is within an SRA or FRA region, watching the instructional controlled burn video is required.
F4 Page 60
The fire districts as of 2024-2025 are no longer issuing RBPs to the public but have turned that task over to the LCAQMD. The fire districts will continue to assist LCAQMD with all RBP “exceptions” site inspections through the year as a point of fire mitigation.
F5 Page 60
When Lake County residents obtain a Residential Burn Permit online but actually need an Agricultural Burn Permit instead, they may execute a controlled burn that becomes a break-out burn and will require fire-district emergency intervention and put the County at risk.
F6 Page 60
The signage on the LCAQMD building/facility in Lakeport is difficult to see from the access road due to positioning, sign size, and size of lettering, causing difficulty in locating it for the residents traveling there.
F7 Page 60
It was not possible to talk to someone in-person or by telephone when contacting LCAQMD to obtain a Residential Burn Permit, between October 11– November 22, 2024, due to no staff when our juror visited or called LCAQMD.
F8 Page 60
There have been staffing problems at LCAQMD since mid-2024.
F9 Page 60
The APCO of LCAQMD had 2.8 employees and needed 6 employees. Recently, LCAQMD hired two new engineers just out of college. Page | 59 2024-2025 Lake County Civil Grand Jury Final Report
F10 Page 61
The fire districts reported dealing with the LCAQMD computer system as frustrating, inefficient, and prone to repeated malfunctioning, break-downs, lapses in operation, problems with pop-ups, and overall failing to work consistently. These problems, while reported to LCAQMD, remain unsolved.
F11 Page 61
Fire districts support residents with smaller than 1-acre parcels utilizing controlled burn “exceptions” for their necessary burns.
F12 Page 61
The APCO of LCAQMD is not in favor overall of “exception” burns because of problems they cause with air-quality parameters, despite the fact that Lake County residents need to be able to utilize “exception” burns.
F13 Page 61
Fire districts prefer that residents who need to utilize “exception” burns obtain RBPs on the Cal Fire website so the request can be reviewed initially by a fire specialist, instead of purchasing the RBP for an “exception” burn on the LCAQMD website.
F14 Page 61
Public referrals to alternative debris-disposal methods that appear on the Residential Burn Permit application under ‘Alternative Vegetation Disposal Methods’ contain information that is incorrect.
F15 Page 61
The combined efforts of, and open lines of communication between, the fire district staff and offices and LCAQMD staff and offices are required to assure the safety of all controlled burns by County residents.
F16 Page 61
The APCO of LCAQMD needs to attend the monthly meetings of the six fire protection districts to facilitate open lines of communication.
F17 Page 61
With RBPs now under the jurisdiction of LCAQMD, whose office is located in Lakeport, the public may need additional “satellite sites” around the Lake where they may connect with LCAQMD via internet, telephone, or in-person representatives for help with RBPs, permits of any kind and other important help and information. These could take the form of kiosks, libraries, or local businesses/agencies who can assist the public with LCAQMD products and services. Page | 60 2024-2025 Lake County Civil Grand Jury Final Report
F18 Page 62
The Residential Burn Permit Application Form is in need of many changes, which are discussed in detail in this report, including suggested changes to the permit “WARNINGS.” RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations 11