As the dry season approaches, state fire officials recommend residents be aware of the change in hours for back-yard burning.

Because of unseasonably dry conditions, residents who are trying to clear defensible space around their homes should be extra careful and adhere to the guidelines set down by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Debris fires that escape control are one of the principal sources of vegetation fires in its jurisdiction, according to Cal Fire records. From 2000 to 2005, debris burning caused 10 percent of all such fires, dwarfing the number attributed to smoking or playing with fire (2 percent) or campfires (3 percent).

Cal Fire has decreed that, as of June 1, burning hours within Nevada, Yuba and Placer counties must only take place between 5 p.m. and midnight on Permissive Burn Days .

The U.S. Forest Service and the Air Pollution Control District for each county declare burn days by 8 a.m. every day.

Cal Fire’s burning guidelines are identical in each fire district around the lake. Similarly, all districts require burn permits. To obtain a permit, contact the local fire protection district office.

If a debris fire escapes control, the responsible party may be held criminally and civilly liable for all costs associated with the containment of the fire and the damage caused.

Permissive Burn Day information can be found for Nevada County at (530) 274-7928, for Yuba County at (530) 741-6299, for Placer County at (530) 889-6868 and for Truckee/Nevada County at 582-1027.