Burn ban ends Thursday, September 30 at noon.
(Port Orchard, WA) - The Kitsap County Fire Marshal announced this morning that, effective noon Thursday, September 30 the outdoor burn ban is lifted.
As of noon Thursday all outdoor burning may resume subject to the normal rules and regulations. Land clearing burning is still prohibited throughout the county and burning permits are required for general outdoor burning. Permits are available free of charge through local fire districts' websites. Recreational burning (fires of less than 3'x3'x2′ in a designated pit and containing only seasoned firewood or charcoal) may be conducted without permits.
Phase 2 Burn Ban update - September 21, 2021
(Port Orchard, WA) - Governor Inslee’s Emergency Proclamation 21-10 effective July 7, 2021
banning outdoor burning remains in effect despite recent precipitation. Most outdoor burning remains prohibited with few exceptions including:
- Liquid, or gas fueled stoves over noncombustible surfaces at least five feet from combustible vegetation;
- Charcoal grills over solid surfaces at least five feet from combustible vegetation;
- Campfires in certain state, county, or other parks (check with the park beforehand); and
- Small campfires in structures on private property.
Structures include masonry or other noncombustible fireplaces, metal, masonry, or other noncombustible material on noncombustible surfaces or extending from the ground vertically sufficient to entirely contain burning materials, ash and cols that do not exceed three feet in diameter.
“The governor’s proclamation preempts our local authority to allow open burning except for a very few exceptions," according to David Lynam, County Fire Marshal. "The proclamation prohibiting burning is not likely to be lifted prior to the end of September as originally issued,” Lynam added.
Phase 2 Burn Ban begins Saturday, July 10
(Port Orchard, WA) - Due to rising fire danger, the Kitsap County Fire Marshal is moving to a Phase 2 burn ban starting Saturday, July 10.
A Phase Two Burn ban prohibits all outdoor recreational burning in the unincorporated areas of Kitsap County. The ban begins Saturday and remains in effect until lifted. “Continued seasonal
warm, dry weather has dried all fuels to a critical point where no outdoor burning is safe,” according to David Lynam, Kitsap County Fire Marshal.
This action goes beyond the governor’s recent proclamation and prohibits all outdoor burning including charcoal briquettes and recreational/campfires. No outdoor fires are allowed except in free standing BBQ appliances using natural gas or propane fuel. BBQ appliances should be used on hard non-combustible surfaces.
“We are several weeks ahead of our normal drying pattern due to the heat wave in June. Wildfires in eastern Washington are growing together and all available resources are headed that way. Kitsap has resources available but if something kicks off resources from other areas are tight,” Lynam added.
Burn bans are not anticipated to be lifted until sometime this fall with the return of seasonal rains.
This ban and others that are imposed due to fire danger are not the same as the air quality burn bans implemented by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.
