Burn Ban Status Lifted as of Wednesday, September, 11 at 8:00 a.m.
At that time, verbal burn permits will be available via the Outdoor Burning Information Line. Written burn permits for fires larger than 4’ X 4’ will be available at the Planning & Development Services Office located at 5280 Northwest Dr. All outdoor burning requires a permit, except for legal recreational fires.
If your property is located within WCFD 5 – Pt. Roberts, WCFD 11 – Lummi Island, or WCFD 17 – Sandy Point, you MUST contact those fire districts to find out if outdoor burning restrictions have been lifted for those areas.
If a property you want to have a fire on falls under the jurisdiction of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources or a federal forest or park jurisdiction, you must contact those organizations prior to lighting any fire. Not all jurisdictions are relieving their outdoor burning restrictions at this time.
For current outdoor burning information and verbal burn permits please call the Outdoor Burning Information Line at (360) 778-5903. Requirements for all types of outdoor burning are available on our website at: http://www.whatcomcounty.us/fire-marshal.
A permanent ban on open burning remains in effect for the cities and Urban Growth Areas (UGAs) of Bellingham, Lynden, Ferndale, Blaine, Everson, Nooksack, Sumas, Birch Bay, Columbia Valley, and Cherry Point. For more information on the permanent burn ban you may contact the Northwest Clean Air Agency at (360) 428-1617 or check their website at www.nwcleanairwa.gov.
Please remember as the burn ban is lifted:
- Please use extreme caution! Vegetation is still recovering from the long stretch of dry weather and is susceptible to fire spread.
- 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 responsible for fire suppression costs and may be criminally charged for Reckless Burning.
If you have any questions about open burning in Whatcom County that were not answered by the Outdoor Burning Information Line, please contact the Whatcom County Fire Marshal’s Office at (360) 778-5900.
Contact: Fire Inspector Will Anderson
Wildfire safety
- Create a safety zone of up to 100 feet around your home. Remove pine needles and dry leaves from around your home. Keep woodpiles at least 30 feet from your home.
- Know your community’s local evacuation plan. Plan ahead by practicing two ways out of your neighborhood. You should know the evacuation route and plan a place where you will go.
- If you are told to evacuate, do so immediately. If you wait until the last minute, the roads may have heavy traffic. Blowing embers and debris from the fire may make it hard to see.
- Stay informed. Listen to the TV/radio broadcasts for current weather and emergency instructions. Sign up to receive local emergency alerts and warnings on both your home phone and cellphone.
- Make sure everyone in your family knows your meeting place ahead of time. Let your family and friends who do not live in your area know your meeting place.
- Keep your car fueled and keep an emergency supply bag in your car. Back your car into the garage or park it in an open space facing the direction of escape.
Outdoor fire safety
- Move the grill away from siding, decking, and other things that can catch fire.
- Stay with the grill the entire time you’re cooking.
- Use long-handled barbecue tools when cooking on the grill.
- Use a metal screen over wood-burning fires to keep sparks from floating out.
- Turn off or put out fires before you leave the backyard.
- Build campfires at least 15 feet away from tent walls, shrubs or other things that burn.
- The best way to stay safe from fireworks is to not use them