LUMMI ISLAND, Wash. — Officials with the Whatcom County Fire District 11 (WCFD11), serving Lummi Island, have announced fire danger is “VERY HIGH” and at 8am today, Friday, June 9th, is issuing a stage 1 burn ban. The announcement cited, “current fuel moisture levels and expected continued warm summer weather” as the reason.
Recreational fires no larger than 3-foot in diameter are allowed under the ban when using only seasoned firewood or charcoal. Other requirements include the following.
- winds must be less than 7mph
- a charged garden hose or 10 gallons of water with a bucket shall be onsite
- beach fires must be below last high tide line and not in or around driftwood
- all other locations must be in an approved enclosure
- materials must be burned in approved enclosures including cement block, stones or #10-gauge steel with a minimum of 16-inches in height and open on one side
- materials being burned must be lower than the sides of the enclosure
- all fires shall be at least 25 feet from structures, timber and other combustible materials
- all fires must be dead out (cold to touch) prior to leaving
Outdoor fires over 4-feet in diameter will require a written permit and fires less than 4 feet require a general permit. Call 360-758-2411 to obtain a written permit and visit the Islander Store or the WCFD11 website for a general permit.
Also effective this morning was the Whatcom County Fire Marshal’s Office’s stage 1 burn ban announced a week ago.
Whatcom County cities and their designated urban growth areas have permanent burn bans on all but recreational fires.
Whatcom County Fire District 17, which serves Sandy Point Shores, Sandy Point Heights, Neptune Heights, Neptune Beach and western portions of the Lummi Indian Reservation, has also implemented a permanent burn ban on residential yard debris, beach debris and land clearing fires.