The Woodsmoke Reduction Program is now open and will be accepting new applications through August 14, 2026! To apply, please complete the application below and submit with required photograph(s) to the District office at 629 Entler Avenue Suite 15 in Chico, CA or via email to jmandly@bcaqmd.org. 

*Note - as of 7/17/2026 the Program is close to being oversubscribed. The District will continue to accept applications through August 14, 2026 and add them to a prioritized waitlist in the order that they are recieved in case additional funds become available*

2026 Butte County Woodsmoke Reduction Program Application (writable pdf)Owner/Tenant Agreement (for homes with long-term renters)

The office is open to the public on Monday, July 13 from 9AM to 12PM. There is a mail slot at the District Office for after-hours drop off. Regular office hours are 7:30am – 12:00pm Tuesday through Friday. Need help? Please contact the District at 530-332-9400 (Jason Mandly at extension 108 or the front desk at extension 0) or email jmandly@bcaqmd.org.

How the 2026 Program Works: 

1.    Butte County Air Quality Management District is offering vouchers to replace eligible wood stoves, pellet stoves and open-hearth fireplaces used as a primary source of heat with new, cleaner burning devices. The new device eligible to be installed depends on the existing device being removed from service:

a.  Non-certified & EPA Phase I wood stoves / inserts (older than July 1990) and open-hearth fireplaces can be replaced with a new wood stove / insert, pellet stove / insert, gas or propane stove / insert, electric stove / insert, or electric heat pump.

b.  EPA Certified Phase II wood stoves / inserts (manufactured after July 1990) that are at least 15 years old and have damage to emission control equipment (such as the catalyst, air tubes, etc.) documented in an inspection completed by a professional service provider (such as a chimney sweep or stove repair technician) can be replaced with a new wood stove / insert, pellet stove / insert, gas or propane stove / insert, electric stove / insert, or electric heat pump.

c.  EPA Certified Phase II and later wood stoves / inserts that are at least 10 years old can be replaced with a new pellet stove / insert, gas or propane stove / insert, electric stove / insert, or electric heat pump. New wood stoves / inserts are not eligible for this category.

d.  Non-certified pellet stoves (manufactured before 2015) that are at least 15 years old can be replaced with a new pellet stove / insert, gas or propane stove / insert, electric stove / insert, or electric heat pump. New wood stoves / inserts are not eligible for this category.

2.    Applications are processed in the order received and are first come, first served. Vouchers will be issued until project dollars are depleted. Please include a photo of the currently installed older stove, fireplace insert, or fireplace. Completed applications must be signed by the homeowner (and tenant if applicable) and submitted to the District.

3.    The Standard Voucher is valued at $2,500 for new pellet, wood-burning, natural gas, propane, and electric stove devices or $7,000 for new electric heat pump installations. Please be aware that the Standard Voucher amount will not cover the entire cost of the new EPA certified device, installation, required permits and any code upgrades that may be required.

4.    The Enhanced Voucher is valued at up to $7,000 for new pellet, wood-burning, natural gas, propane, and electric stove devices or $12,000 for new electric heat pump installations. Applicants are eligible for an Enhanced Voucher if the project is in a Low Income or Disadvantaged Community[1] or if the applicant participates in a Low Income program (WIC, CARE, LIHEAP), or if the household income is below $94,000. The applicant must bring supporting documents for District review when submitting the application.

5.    The program is available to both homeowners and tenants.  In the case of rental properties, formal approval from the property owner will be required as part of the application.

6.    The applicant may redeem the voucher from Participating Retailers only. The voucher must be redeemed within four (4) weeks from the date of issuance. The voucher expiration date may be extended at the discretion of the District. Standard Vouchers will be applied as an instant rebate off the total price of the stove. The applicant will schedule an in-home estimate with a Participating Retailer.  The Retailer will verify the stove’s eligibility and present an estimate to the Applicant. No retroactive rebates are allowed.

7.    New devices must be safe, basic model professionally installed by a licensed installer in accordance with local fire and building codes. A building permit must be obtained prior to installation of the new device if required by the town, city, or county building department. No do-it-yourself installations are allowed under this program. Installations must occur within ninety (90) days of voucher redemption. The installation expiration date may be extended at the discretion of the District.

8.    Stoves that are replaced through the program must be permanently removed from service and surrendered to the participating retailer, who coordinate their disposal and recycling. The participating retailer will take a photo of the older stove prior to removing it and upon its destruction, and will also take a photo of the replacement stove after it is installed. If the replacement device is an electric heat pump, the household may be allowed to retain the old wood burning device to serve as emergency heat only in case of a power outage.

9.    Participating retailers and/or their licensed installers will provide training on proper wood storage and wood burning practices (if applicable) and device operation and maintenance.

10. This voucher program is subject to state requirements and agreements with the California Air Resources Board (CARB).