The following information covers
outdoor burning year-round on lands under the jurisdiction of the Whatcom County Fire Marshal’s Office. For
burn ban information by phone, please call
(360) 676-6934.
It is illegal to burn your garbage
You may
not burn rubber, plastic, asphalt, garbage, dead animals, petroleum products,
paints or any materials that emit dense smoke or create offensive odors.
You are not allowed to let smoke or ash create a nuisance to people
residing within the vicinity.
For a debris disposal fire, you can burn natural vegetation
without a written permit
if you meet all of the following criteria:
- The pile you build is no larger than 4 feet across or high.
- You have a shovel or rake nearby.
- You have a charged garden hose or 55 gallons of water with a bucket.
- The fire is not within 50 feet of any structure or standing timber.
- One person age 16 or older that is capable of putting the fire out is in attendance at all times.
- A fire-break built down to bare ground at least 4 feet around the fire.
- You have landowners permission if not on your own property.
- You burn only in calm or light winds not exceeding 7 MPH.
- You burn during daylight hours only. Fire may be started ½ hour before sun-up and fire shall be out ½
hour after sun down.
- You call the local fire district prior to ignition.
The #1 cause of forest fires in Washington is escaped debris burns, so remember: Only you can prevent forest fires.
RESIDENTIAL BURNS:
A residential burn is defined as a burn that the landowner is doing on their own.
Landowners may rent, own or borrow the machinery necessary to do the burn.
The landowner is not paying or trading with someone to do the burning for them. The cost is $50 for the number of days a landowner whiches
to burn, not to exceed 2 weeks. The burn pile will be inspected prior to or during the burn by the
Whatcom County Fire Marshal’s Office.
COMMERCIAL BURNS:
A commercial burn is defined when the landowner is
not doing the burning on their own,
rather
they are paying or trading with someone to do the burning for them.
Burning 24-hours is allowed with approval for commercial burns; the cost is $50 per day. Commercial burns
will be inspected daily by the Whatcom County Fire Marshal’s Office.
For commercial land clearing debris disposal fires you can burn natural vegetation
with a permit if
you meet the following criteria:
- The pile you build is larger than 4 feet not to exceed 30 feet across or high.
- You have a shovel or rake nearby.
- You have a charged garden hose or 500 gallon water trailer with pump and hose at burn site.
- The fire is not within 50 feet of any structure or standing timber.
- One person age 16 or older that is capable or putting the fire out is in attendance at all times.
- You may burn one pile at a time unless permitted otherwise.
- Build a fire-break down to bare ground the same size as the pile, all the way around the pile.
- You may burn 24 hours with fire marshal’s approval only.
- You have landowners permission if not on your own property.
- You have a backhoe or bulldozer or excavator with an operator.
- You have valid permit from the Whatcom County Fire Marshal’s Office. Permit is valid for the number of days you want to burn only. The cost of the permit is $50.00 for every day you want to burn.
For more information please call the Whatcom County Fire Marshal's Office at
(360) 676-6934.
