Yes smudge pots are illegal in California and if you get caught when using a smudge pot you can be fined.
Some other states have banned smudge pots as well and make it illegal to use the smudge pots.
A smudge pot is an oil burning device used to prevent frost on plants.
The Smudge pot is a device which is an oil container with some crude oil burning in the bottom that is used in fruit orchards, especially citrus groves, to provide protection against frost.
The smoke from the smudge pot burning serves as a blanket to reduce heat losses due to outgoing radiation.
Also smudge pots were also used for traffic control in the early days.
Smudge Pots were also used at road construction sites as a warning for motorists, much as traffic cones are used today. In the past, there was no such thing as a reflective device and the lit smudge pots were the warning lights for drivers.
The smudge pots used kerosene for fuel and a wick was used to bring the fuel up to the top of the smudge pot where it burned.
The top of the smudge pot has a protective cover, open on the sides, to protect from burns.
Below is a picture of a smudge pot.
