Due to increasingly dry weather conditions, the Whatcom County Fire Marshal’s office, has ordered a Stage 2 Burn Ban placing restrictions on all open burning. Effective at 4 PM on August 16th, 2023, all open burning is prohibited in unincorporated Whatcom County until further notice. This ban is in conjunction with statewide outdoor burning restrictions enacted by DNR for all state-protected lands and the US Forest Service burn ban.
All outdoor burning is prohibited during this ban, including yard debris fires, land clearing fires, and recreational fires.
Propane fire pits without solid wood burning material will still be allowed, along with propane and charcoal BBQs. Care should be used in the disposal of any used charcoal and ashes. Charcoal and ash should be discarded in to a metal container and doused with water. The container should be kept 10 feet from any structures or vegetation for 72 hours. Wood burning fire pits or charcoal pits or similar enclosures with grates or screens are NOT considered barbecues and not allowed. The use of liquid gas fired stoves or BBQ’s or charcoal BBQ’s at private residents shall be over a non-flammable surface and at least five feet from flammable vegetation and structures.
If you live within a tribal or city boundary, contact the fire agency in your jurisdiction for specific restrictions in those areas. Also, contact any campgrounds you plan on visiting, as well as DNR, and the US Forest Service to learn about restrictions in those areas.
Violations of these burn restrictions can result in a minimum $250.00 fine. In addition, if you have an illegal fire that escapes or needs to be extinguished by the fire department, you may be held financially and criminally responsible.
These outdoor burning restrictions may be reduced as weather and fire danger dictates.
If you have any questions on open burning in Whatcom County, please contact the Whatcom County Fire Marshal’s Office at 360-778-5900 or listen to current burn ban information on the Whatcom County Burn Information Line at 360-778-5903.