In a control apparatus, a heater adjuster performs a regeneration task of causing a heater to heat a sensing member of a particulate matter sensor to burn particulate matter deposited on the sensing member to thereby remove the particulate matter from the sensing member. The heater adjuster performs a deposition reduction task of maintaining, for a predetermined duration, a temperature of the sensing member at a deposition reduction temperature that reduces additional particulate-matter deposition on the sensing member. The predetermined duration is defined from completion of a regeneration task to a time when an environmental condition around the particulate matter sensor is determined to be stable. The heater adjuster stops the heater from heating the sensing member if a condition determiner determines that the environmental condition around the particulate matter sensor is stable.