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PHASE TWO BURN BAN: Effective Friday, August 13th, 2021
A Phase 2 Fire Safety Burn Ban has been issued. In response to continued hot/dry weather, high fire danger throughout King County, and the ongoing commitment of many local wildland firefighting resources outside the region, the King County Fire Chiefs, King County Fire Marshals, and jurisdictions throughout King County have joined together to issue a phase two burn ban covering all parts of King County. This means all outdoor fires, including recreational campfires, cooking fires, and ceremonial fires are PROHIBITED. The ban will remain in effect until further notice. The fire marshals are carefully monitoring the fuel moisture content and energy release component of wildland fuels in the area. When these measures return to more typical values, the ban will be terminated. Propane or natural-gas fired grills, fireplaces, fire tables, and other gas-fired appliances may continue to be used along with charcoal grills. Please use caution when disposing of charcoal remains. Governor Inslee Declares State of Emergency for Wildfires and Announces Limited Burn Ban. In response to growing risk of wildfires Governor Jay Inslee declared a statewide state of emergency Tuesday and introduced a ban on most outdoor and agriculture burning through Sept. 30, 2021. "Washington is facing a historic drought and we have already experienced record-breaking heat," Inslee said. "We must be vigilant in our efforts to prevent wildfires, and the loss of life and destruction of land and property that comes with them. We don’t want a repeat of recent years with dangerous wildfires across the state that have destroyed towns, killed livestock and resulted in weeks of unhealthy air quality. I urge everyone to do their part to help protect our beautiful state and all our communities.” Hilary Franz, Commissioner of Public Lands, said Washington state has reported a record-breaking number of fires early in the summer. “Extreme drought conditions leave communities across our state at risk as fire danger continues to climb," Franz said. "I’m asking everyone to do their part to and take precautions to prevent wildfires. Our firefighters on the frontlines depend on us to help keep them safe.” komonews.com/news/local/gov-inslee-declares-state-of-emergency-for-wildfires-announces-limited-burn-ban https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/inslee-declares-wildfire-state-emergency-limited-burn-ban |
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Outdoor FiresState law prohibits outdoor fires in urbanized areas (incorporated cities, suburbs and adjacent areas). The cities of Burien and Normandy Park are located within this mandated no-burn zone. State law allows only Native American ceremonial fires and very small recreational fires inside no-burn areas:
Native American Ceremonial Fires State law defines these as fires "necessary for Native American ceremonies (i.e., conducted by and for Native Americans) if part of a religious ritual." If you wish to have Native American ceremonial fire outside of tribal lands, you must have a permit from the local fire district. These permits will not be granted during air-quality burn bans and fire-safety burn bans. Recreational Fires These are defined in state law as cooking fires, campfires and bonfires that occur in designated areas or on private property for cooking, pleasure or ceremonial purposes. These fires must be no larger than three feet in diameter and two feet high. You can use only charcoal, dried firewood or manufactured firelogs. Any other fuel is prohibited. Recreational fires are always prohibited during air-quality burn bans. Check with the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency to see what the current Burn Ban status is. Fires lit in chimneys, fire pits, fire bowls and similar free-standing devices, commonly sold at home-improvement stores and mass retailers, are also considered “recreational” and should also only use charcoal, dried firewood or manufactured firelogs (some brands make outdoor-specific firelogs). Other general requirements for a recreational fire, as stated in WAC 173-425-050(6) and IFC, section 307, state that:
It's always illegal to smoke out your neighbor. If smoke from your fire bothers your neighbors, damages their property or otherwise causes a nuisance, you must immediately put it out. If enforcement is required, you could be fined up to $13,000 per day. It's always illegal to use a BURN BARREL. It's always illegal to burn prohibited materials. These materials include:
Registering Complaints To register a complaint about wood smoke from fireplaces and wood stoves, and for all other air quality complaints, visit www.pscleanair.org/contact/Pages/complaint.aspx. If you have any questions, call 1-800-552-3565 (Washington only). The above regulations are only a summary. For more information on these regulations, to find out ways to dispose of yard waste, and for a list of useful links for homeowners and businesses, please visit the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency web site on Facts About Outdoor Burning, or visit the links below. |
Useful Links
WAC 173-425 Outdoor Burning
Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Burning Basics Burn Ban Status American Lung Association of Washington Fireworks Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Outdoor Burning Brochure Download this brochure on "Outdoor burning is out! It's the law" (PDF) |
