NEWS ABOUT SAN JUAN COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT NO. 3
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Burn ban begins at midnight
posted 06/30/01
Effective at midnight on Saturday, June 30 all outdoor debris disposal fires will be prohibited. The ban includes residential brush burning, agricultural burning, land-clearing and slash burning. Recreational fires will still be allowed. Recreational fires can be no larger than two feet across, and must be contained within a rock ring, fire pit or in an area cleared to mineral earth for four feet around the fire.
Due to the increasingly dry conditions, the fire departments are urging all residents to be careful about recreational fires, which represent one of the most common wildfire causes. Other common causes include mowing, fireworks and burn barrels . Burn barrels are no longer allowed at any time.
Fireworks are allowed on the Fourth of July only. The National Weather Service is predicting hot dry weather for the first week of July, which greatly increases the risk of wildfires from fireworks. Fireworks should be kept away from houses, grass fields or timbered areas. Adult supervison is highly recommended.
No burn piles allowed
July 1- Sept. 30
posted 06/22/01
All outdoor burning except recreational fires will be banned July 1 through September 30, 2001. Recreational fires up to two feet in diameter will be allowed while the fire danger remains moderate.
San Juan County Fire District No. 3 officials remind islanders during high fire danger conditions all fires are banned.
Burn barrels are no longer allowed at any time. Burning lumber and construction debris has also been outlawed by the state.
Last full weekend for burn piles until fall
posted 06/22/01
All outdoor burning except recreational fires will not be allowed July 1 through September 30. Recreational fires up to 2-feet in diameter will be allowed while the fire danger remains moderate. In high fire danger conditions, all fires are banned.
Burn barrels are no longer allowed at any time. Burning lumber and construction debris has also been outlawed by the State.
Burn barrels banned
posted 04/00
Effective April 13, 2000 new rules went into effect for open burning. These rules were enacted by the Washington State Department of Ecology, which oversees outdoor air quality in Washington State.
The most significant change to the rules for most San Juan County residents is the prohibition on the use of burn barrels. Under the new regulations, burn barrels are not permitted anywhere in Washington State.
In addition, the regulations now prohibit the burning of construction and demolition debris, including construction scraps.
The stated purpose of the new regulations is to improve air quality. Outdoor burning has been identified as a significant source of air pollution. Of particular concern is the burning of trash and waste paper.
Unfortunately, burn barrels have been routinely used to burn prohibited materials, even though burning those materials has been illegal for several years. Paper is the most common culprit. Many people don't realize that burning paper is prohibited.
Paper, including magazines, computer paper, and cardboard may be recycled free of cost at the county's recycling centers.
Outdoor burning has been identified as the most common cause of wildfires in Washington State as well. Annually, about 4,700 fires are caused by outdoor burning across the state.
Locally, outdoor burning causes fires in San Juan County each year. At least one home and three other buildings have been destroyed in recent years by outdoor fires that got out of hand.
Burning in a burn barrel is no guarantee of safety. Several serious fires in the county have been caused by burn barrels, including one that damaged a home on Cady Mountain in 1998.
The new regulation also requires permits for all recreational fires over three feet in diameter. In the past, permits were required for all fires except recreational fires. Fire permits are available from the fire departments and from the Town of Friday Harbor.
More information about the new regulations is available from the Department of Ecology Air Quality Division. Contact Larry Altose at
425-649-7192, or visit the Department of Ecology web site at http://www.wa.gov/ecology/air/airhome.html For information about fire permits, contact your local fire department.
