Due to increasingly dry weather conditions and the issuance of a Fire Weather Watch for Whatcom County the Fire Marshal has ordered a ban on all outdoor fires effective 12 p.m. (noon) on Thursday, August 18.
All outdoor burning, including recreational fires, will be prohibited within Bellingham city limits until further notice. This ban is in coordination with county and statewide burn bans that have also been put into place.
While recreational fires are prohibited, commercially-available barbecues will still be allowed, but care should be used in the disposal of any charcoal and ashes. Charcoal and ash should be discarded in a metal container and doused with water. The container should be located a minimum of 10 feet from any structures or combustible vegetation for 72 hours. Fire pits or similar enclosures, with or without grates, are NOT considered the equivalent of commercially-available barbecues and are prohibited during this burn ban.
Violations of these burn restrictions may result in a minimum $250 fine. In addition, if you have an illegal fire that escapes or needs to be extinguished by the fire department, you may be held financially and criminally responsible.
If you have questions regarding the outdoor burn restrictions in the city of Bellingham, please contact the Bellingham Fire Department Life Safety Division at 360-778-8420. You may also listen to current burn ban information on the Whatcom County Burn Information Line at 360-778-5903.
