Vancouver, Wash. ‒ Starting at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 15, all land clearing and residential burning in Clark County will be restricted until further notice.

The fire marshal also is rescinding all burning permits issued prior to the ban. Permits can be reissued or extended when the ban is lifted. The burning restrictions do not apply to federally managed lands.

Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania counties jointly implement a policy to ban outdoor burning from July 15 through Sept. 30 each year. Designating this period is based on years of information about fuel conditions; in extreme fire hazard conditions, a ban can begin sooner or end later.

“Annual burn ban dates allow residents to plan to burn during safer months,” said Fire Marshal Jon Dunaway. “In the fall, please call the Fire Marshall’s Office to be sure the ban is lifted before burning.”

Recreational campfires on forest lands are allowed only in improved fire pits in designated campgrounds, such as commercial campgrounds and local, county and state parks. Self-contained camp stoves are a safe, easy alternative to camp fires.

On private land, recreational fires are permitted when built according to the following regulations:

• Must be in a metal-, stone- or masonry-lined fire pit such as those in improved campgrounds or available at home and garden stores.
• Size may not exceed 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height.
• Must be at least 25 feet from a structure or other combustible material and have at least 20 feet of clearance from overhead fuels such as tree limbs, patio covers or carports.
• Always must be attended by a person at least 16 years old who has the ability and tools to extinguish a fire. Keep a shovel, charged hose and 5-gallon bucket of water on hand.
• Portable outdoor or patio fireplaces should not be used within 15 feet of a structure or combustible material. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Completely extinguish recreational fires by covering them with water or moist soil and stirring with a shovel until it is cool.

For more information, contact the Fire Marshal’s Office at 360.397.2186 or visit the county’s website at http://www.clark.wa.gov/development/fire/burning.html.

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CONTACT
Jon Dunaway
Fire marshal
Community Development
360-397-2375 ext. 3324
jon.dunaway@clark.wa.gov