Due to the increase in fuel moisture levels and recent rain, the Whatcom County Fire Marshal’s Office announced today they will lift the burn ban for outdoor burning at 8am Monday, September 20th. This change effects unincorporated areas of Whatcom County.
Fire Marshal’s Office officials remind, that even with the burn ban lifted, All outdoor burning requires a permit except for legal recreational fires.
- Verbal burn permits will be available via the Outdoor Burning Information Line at 360-778-5903.
- Written burn permits for fires larger than 4-foot by 4-foot will be available at the Whatcom County Planning & Development Services Office located at 5280 Northwest Drive.
Fire districts covering Pt. Roberts, Lummi Island and Sandy Point areas are not under the Fire Marshal’s Office burn ban jurisdiction. Anyone wanting to burn outdoors in any of those areas should first contact the fire district to learn of their burning restrictions.
For areas within the cities and urban growth areas (UGAs) of Bellingham, Lynden, Ferndale, Blaine, Everson, Nooksack, Sumas, Birch Bay, Columbia Valley and Cherry Point, there remains permanent burn bans that prohibit burning of garbage, yard clippings and other vegetative debris.
The Fire Marshal’s Office advises to continue to use extreme caution with outdoor fires since vegetation is still recovering from the long stretch of dry weather and is susceptible to fire spread.