Thurston County enacts burn ban, as fire risk hits ‘high’ 

A temporary ban on residential yard waste burning and all land clearing burns is in effect for unincorporated areas of Thurston County from Wednesday, July 9, to Tuesday, Sept. 30.

The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) set its fire risk on public lands in the region to “high,” which led the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners to enact the ban in order to minimize fire danger, according to a joint statement issued on Tuesday, July 8. 

The Thurston County Fire Marshal, in consultation with the Thurston County Director of Emergency Services, DNR and the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA), determined weather conditions met the fire danger level necessary to enact restrictions on outdoor burning to all lands regulated by the county. 

The county stated that the ban does not apply to recreational fires. Campfires are still allowed on private residential properties and at official county, state and federal campgrounds if built and contained within an established fire ring. 

A fire ring is a solid, nonflammable structure, usually made of concrete, stone or metal, that keeps a fire contained in one spot. 

The ban still allows cooking devices that keep fire fully controlled. The county confirmed that the use of charcoal briquettes, gas, pellet grills and propane barbeques will still be allowed under the current burn ban.  

Restrictions on outdoor burning during hot, dry summer months have resulted in a significant drop in brush fires and property damage each of the past several years. 

To view current burn rules in Thurston County, visit thurstoncountywa.gov. For updates on the status of state burn bans, visit orcaa.org