King County Fire Chiefs End Stage 2 Burn Ban

KING COUNTY, WA — Just in time for the holiday weekend, the King County Fire Chief's Association has rolled back its Stage 2 burn ban, allowing for small recreational and cooking fires to resume in King County. The more strict ban went into place in mid-August amid abnormally high temperatures and exceedingly dry conditions, prohibiting most outdoor burning, including backyard fire pits and campfires. Fire officials said a favorable shift in conditions made the change possible.

"Recent precipitation and cooler weather have allowed wildland fuels to recover moisture, and the local wildland fire danger has reduced to a level where it is safe to resume small recreational fires," officials wrote Wednesday. "The Stage 1 burn ban, issued on June 24th and covering all other outdoor burning, will remain in effect until further notice."

Stage 1 burn restrictions require that fires must:

1. Be kindled with seasoned and dry firewood.
2. Be built in a metal or concrete fire pit, such as those typically found in designated campgrounds; and not be used as debris disposal.
3. Grow no larger than three feet in diameter.
4. Be in a clear spot free from any vegetation for at least 10 feet in a horizontal direction, including at least 25 feet away from any structure and allow 20-foot vertical clearance from overhanging branches.
5. Be attended at all times by an alert individual and equipment capable of extinguishing the fire with a shovel and a 5-gallon bucket of water or with a connected and charged water hose.
6. Be completely extinguished by pouring water or moist soil in them and stirring with a shovel until all parts are cool to the touch.
7. No burning when winds exceed 15 MPH.

A wildfire state of emergency remains in place for all 39 counties through September, which separately prohibits certain campfires, bonfires and the burning of yard debris. Campfire bans also remain in place across Washington State Parks and within Mount Rainier National Park, Olympic National Park and the Olympic National Forest.

Residents with specific questions can reach out to their local fire departments or fire marshals.