Washington Issues Statewide Burn Ban On DNR Protected Lands

SEATTLE, WA — The Washington State Department of Natural Resources has issued a statewide burn ban for all the lands under their protection.

The ban, which covers 12 million acres of public and private land in Washington state, goes into effect immediately and will remain through September 30 unless conditions improve.

The DNR says the move was necessary considering the current heat wave bringing hot, dry weather to the state.

“We simply cannot take any chances right now with wildfire potential so great,” Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz said. “Recent hot weather has set the stage for fires to start easily and grow quickly – any spark can set off a megafire. I ask that we all do our part to prevent wildfires and keep our communities safe by abiding by this burn ban and being extremely cautious when it comes to activities that could start a fire.”

The DNR is also urging the public to wait for better conditions before they burn yard debris or set campfires. Already the state is battling four large fires:

• The Colockum Fire near Wenatchee, which has burned 3,337 acres.
• The Anglin Fire east of Tonasket, burning around 1,200 acres.
• The Greenhouse Fire by Nespelem, which has burned 5,146 acres.
• And the Green Fire, near Synarep, which has burned 700 acres and is uncontained.

The DNR is urging everyone to do their part to prevent any further fires from sparking up.

The ban outlaws outdoor burning, the use of charcoal briquettes and prescribed burns on all forest lands. There are exceptions for:

• Recreational fires in approved fire pits.
• Fires set for ecological purposes conducted by trained professionals.
• Fires approved by the Commissioner of Public Lands if there are "compelling reasons" for the exception.

Unincorporated King County remains under a burn ban as well. Pierce County, however, does not.

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