Keep Your Family Warm and Safe—No Matter What

Existing masonry fireplaces are legal to use, but the South Coast Air Quality Management District's Rule 445 (Check Before You Burn) prohibits wood burning in uncertified, open-hearth fireplaces on days when air quality forecasts trigger a mandatory no-burn alert—which happens fairly often in winter across the LA Basin. EPA/CARB-certified wood stoves and inserts are exempt from those curtailment days, which is the main reason homeowners who still want to burn wood in Burbank end up upgrading to a certified unit rather than relying on an open hearth.

Two things work against it: climate and air rules. Burbank averages a winter low around 43°F and has a light, short heating season overall, so there's rarely a genuine need for a standalone heat source the way there is in colder parts of the country. Combine that with SCAQMD's non-attainment status and Check Before You Burn restrictions, and most Burbank homeowners find that a gas fireplace or an electric unit fits their home, their budget, and local rules more cleanly than a wood-burning installation would.

If your home already has a masonry fireplace, the most workable route is an EPA-certified wood-burning insert rather than continuing to burn in the open hearth. Certified inserts are exempt from SCAQMD's no-burn curtailment days, burn considerably cleaner, and get more usable heat out of the same firebox. It's a smaller-volume project for local dealers here compared to gas conversions, but it's not unheard of—worth a conversation with a trusted installer about your specific chimney and flue before assuming it's off the table.

Oak, madrone, and Douglas fir are the species most commonly available to Southern California burners, whether purchased from a local firewood supplier or cut under a Forest Service permit. Oak in particular is prized for its long, hot burn and is widely sold by the cord throughout the LA area for the households that do maintain a wood-burning fireplace or insert.

Yes. The Angeles National Forest and San Bernardino National Forest both issue personal-use firewood cutting permits, typically running $5 to $20 per cord, with cutting allowed May through October. It's a modest-cost option if you already have a wood-burning appliance and want to supply your own fuel, though given how few Burbank homes rely on wood as primary heat, most local buyers still purchase seasoned oak by the cord from a commercial supplier instead.

Most Burbank homeowners land on either a gas fireplace or an electric unit. Gas gives you instant, controllable heat without the emissions restrictions that apply to wood, and it pairs well with the region's natural gas infrastructure. Electric fireplaces are simple to install, carry no venting requirements, and run on power from City of Burbank Water and Power at a residential rate around $0.1925 per kWh—a reasonable option for supplemental or ambiance-focused installs in a climate that rarely demands serious heating output.

Burbank sits within the South Coast Air Basin, a federal non-attainment area for fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and wood smoke is one of the more significant contributors to winter air pollution in the LA basin. Add periodic wildfire smoke drifting in from foothill and mountain fires, and local air agencies have strong incentive to limit additional smoke sources. That's the backdrop for SCAQMD's Check Before You Burn program and its curtailment of uncertified wood-burning fireplaces on high-pollution days.

Because wood-burning installs are uncommon here, pricing isn't as standardized as it is for gas or electric work—most local dealers quote it project by project after seeing your existing chimney and flue condition. In general, converting an existing masonry fireplace to an EPA-certified insert costs more than a comparable gas insert conversion once you factor in a stainless liner and hearth clearances, so get a firm, in-home quote from a certified installer rather than relying on a national average.

Wood offers real ambiance and off-grid heat, but it's the least practical choice in Burbank given SCAQMD's no-burn restrictions and how rarely local homes actually need supplemental heat. Gas delivers instant, reliable warmth and works well with existing natural gas service, making it the most common upgrade for homeowners converting an old masonry fireplace. Electric units skip venting and emissions concerns entirely, running on power from City of Burbank Water and Power, and suit homeowners who mainly want visual warmth rather than serious heat output. For most Burbank households, gas or electric will outperform wood on cost, convenience, and compliance—but if you specifically want a certified wood-burning insert, a local dealer can walk you through what's realistically possible for your chimney.

New wood stoves are 70%+ efficient, so far less heat goes up the flue—which also means less draft to get a fire established. The rule: build a genuinely hot fire for about 45 minutes before you choke it down. Skip that and you get smoke in the room, creosote in the chimney, and a fire that never takes off. Most performance complaints trace straight back to this.

An insert does two things: it seals the chimney completely, so you stop losing air you already paid to heat, and it radiates warmth into the room through the firebox and glass. Most add a heat-exchange fan that pulls cool room air underneath, wraps it around the hot firebox, and pushes it back out warm. Your home is more efficient before you've even lit the first fire.

If you're putting a fire in your house on purpose, it's best to work with an expert. Unless you're genuinely experienced in framing, gas line, vent pipe, and the national code on clearances to combustibles, have a professional do it—and ideally the same company that sells you the fireplace, so warranty, service, and liability all live under one roof.

Ideally, yes. A fireplace project involves vent pipe, gas line, electrical, and often tile or stone. Hire three or four separate trades and you own the liability and the game of telephone between them. One company selling and installing means one accountable party, start to finish—ask about factory training, on-time completion records, and what happens if an inspection fails.