The WCFMO is asking that all citizens use extreme vigilance when burning yard debris, enjoying a campfire, or while cooking outdoors. Please follow the recreational burning guidelines from Northwest Clean Air Agency (NWCAA) when having a fire (https://nwcleanairwa.gov/?wpdmdl=7879). During these conditions it is vital to have adequate fire break of bare ground around the fire. Also, a garden hose or two 5-gallon buckets of water and a shovel or rake must be present. These simple steps will greatly reduce the risk of a fire escaping.

Since Memorial Day weekend, there have been 68 fire department responses for concerns of unsafe burning. Of those response, 17 were for brush fires. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wildland fire fighters were notified on 3 occasions of the brush fires due to concerns regarding the speed of growth and severity of the fires. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Red Flag Warning due to the “hot, dry, and unstable conditions” in eastern Whatcom County.

Please do not hesitate to call 911 to report unsafe burning. We must all do our part to have a safe and enjoyable summer.