Vancouver, WA ‒ Fire Marshal Jon Dunaway lifted the county’s ban on recreational fires Friday, but a ban on land clearing and open burns remains in place.

Effective immediately, Clark County residents can have recreational fires in metal-, stone- or masonry-lined fire pits such as those in improved campgrounds or available at stores.

Similarly, the state Department of Natural Resources has lifted its recreational fire ban on state protected lands west of the Cascade Range, as long as fires are in approved fire pits within designated state, county, municipal or other campgrounds. Other fires on state lands also are prohibited through September.

Dunaway said the rain and cooler temperatures made lifting the recreational burn ban possible.

“Labor Day weekend campers might not like the rain, but it has helped improve what have been dangerously dry conditions throughout the region,” he said. “Still, remember that self-contained camp stoves are a safe, easy alternative to recreational fires.”

He noted that the ban on land clearing and residential burning in the county remains in place until at least the end of the month. To be sure the ban has been lifted after Sept. 30, Dunaway asks that residents contact the Fire Marshal’s Office at (360) 397-2186 before burning.

A recreational fire is allowed when built according to these regulations:

• It is in metal-, stone- or masonry-lined fire pits.
• The size cannot exceed 3 feet in diameter by 2 feet in height.
• It is at least 25 feet from a structure or other combustible material and has at least 20 feet of clearance from overhead branches or covers.
• It is attended at all times by someone 16 or older who has tools such as a shovel and charged hose to extinguish it.
• It is completed extinguished by water or moist soil until cool to the touch.

CONTACT
Jon Dunaway
Fire Marshal
(360) 397-3324
jon.dunaway@clark.wa.gov