Air Time: adding five new counties to Stage 1 burn bans

By Brook Beeler, communication manager, Eastern Regional Office

Stage 1 bans start immediately in Columbia, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, and Pend Oreille counties. In addition, Stage 1 burn bans in Asotin, Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Stevens, and Walla Walla counties will continue.

Bans are necessary since poor air quality and stagnant conditions are expected to continue for the next few days.

Ecology’s Stage 1 burn ban for these counties will continue until at least 10 a.m. Sunday, when they could be called off or extended. The Stage 1 ban applies to the use of uncertified wood-burning devices (including wood stoves, inserts and fireplaces) and to all outdoor burning.

All outdoor burning – including residential, agricultural and forest burning – is prohibited.

Under a Stage 1, ban the use of uncertified wood-burning devices – including fireplaces, wood stoves and inserts – is prohibited unless they are a home’s only adequate source of heat.

Ecology’s burn bans do not apply on tribal reservations, where the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has jurisdiction.

Burn ban violators are subject to civil penalties. You can report violators by calling Ecology’s smoke complaint hotline (1-866-211-6284).

For burn ban updates in other jurisdictions, go online to www.waburnbans.net.

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