KENDALL, Wash. — Today, December 31, 2025, the Northwest Clean Air Agency (NWCAA) issued a Stage 2 burn ban for the Columbia Valley urban growth area, including Peaceful Valley and Paradise Lakes developments, “because cold, calm air is preventing harmful wood smoke from clearing out.” This is an upgrade from a Stage 1 issued December 29, 2025.
NWCAA said, effective immediately, all burning is prohibited unless a wood stove is your only adequate source of heat in the Columbia Valley urban growth area (including the Peaceful Valley and Paradise Lakes developments) in Whatcom County.
Effective immediately, no indoor or outdoor wood burning is allowed in the Columbia Valley urban growth area (including the Peaceful Valley and Paradise Lakes developments) in Whatcom County because cold, calm air is preventing harmful wood smoke from clearing out, according to the Northwest Clean Air Agency.
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Click for more informationFine particles in wood smoke are harmful because they can be inhaled deeply into lungs and damage delicate tissues.
During this Stage 2 burn ban, all burning is prohibited unless a woodstove is your only adequate source of heat.
- No burning is allowed in any wood-burning fireplaces, woodstoves, fireplace inserts (certified or uncertified), or pellet stoves.
- No outdoor fires of any kind are allowed. This includes burning of yard waste, land clearing, agricultural burning, and forest burning, plus recreational fires in devices like backyard fire kettles, chimneys, and fire pits.
These burning limits will remain in effect until further notice. Check NWCAA’s website (https://nwcleanairwa.gov/) and NWCAA’s Facebook page for up-to-date information.
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Click for more informationBurn ban violators could face fines and other enforcement actions. Remember that it is always illegal to produce excess chimney smoke and impact your neighbors. It is also illegal to burn trash.
The burn ban is based on weather forecasts and current air pollution from small particles. Right now, air quality is predicted to be worse than the national health-based standard for at least 24 hours.
– Northwest Clean Air Agency (December 31, 2025)
No estimate was given for how long the burn ban would remain in effect.
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