Burning Permits

Please come to the fire station to obtain a burning permit. Burn permits are valid from Oct. 16 - July 14. The following information is contained within the permit itself:

Thurston County Residential Outdoor Burning Permit

This permit is valid only in unincorporated areas of Thurston County outside the Urban Growth Management Area boundaries of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater.

This form shall be completed by the landowner or landowner’s agent (applicant). The applicant shall sign the form and submit the top copy to the Fire District where the burn site is located. The applicant shall comply with the regulations below and on the back of the site permit. PERMITS ARE VALID FROM OCTOBER 16 THROUGH JULY 14. BURNING IS NOT PERMITTED FROM JULY 15 THROUGH OCTOBER 15 OR DURING A BURN CURTAILMENT. Permits expire July 14 and a new permit will be required for the next burning season beginning October 16.

1. Only natural vegetation grown on the permit site indicated above may be burned.
2. Burning may only occur during daylight hours.
3. When winds exceed 5 miles per hour, files shall not be lighted. If winds exceed 10 miles per hour, fires must be extinguished.
4. Burn pile size must not exceed 10 feet by 10 feet by 5 feet in height.
5. The last page of this Residential Outdoor Burning Permit must be posted at the burn site while burning.
6. The burn pile must not be closer than 50 feet from any structure or standing timber or 10 feet from a property line.
7. Fires are not permitted within five hundred (500) feet of forest slash.
8. Fires must be attended until completely out. NO FLAME, NO SMOKE.
9. Only one residential outdoor fire on the property may be burned at any one time.
10. A shovel and water-charged hose shall be on site and immediately available. A minimum of two five-gallon buckets full of water may substitute for the water-charged hose.
11. Fires shall not be allowed during periods of impaired air quality or when burn curtailments are in effect. Before starting any outdoor fire, call Thurston County at (360) 754-2953 for recorded information.
12. Fires must be immediately extinguished, if any emission from the fire is detrimental to the health, safety, or welfare of any person, if it causes damage to property or business, or if it causes a nuisance to others.
13. Burn barrels are not permitted.
14. Alternatives to Residential Outdoor Burning are encouraged.
15. Applicant is responsible to ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal laws while conducting burning pursuant to this permit.

PENALTIES

Penalties may be assessed for violations of these permit rules and/or the rules on the back of the site permit. In addition, the Fire District may recover costs incurred during response, control, or suppressing of an unlawful or out-of-control fire. The property owner or person doing the burning assumes responsibilities for any damage, by emission or flame to any structure, utility line or pole, tree or shrub, fence, road or right-of-way or other public or private edifice. The applicant accepts responsibility for any claimed adverse effects to the health of any person or persons in the path of said emission. Burning garbage or any prohibited material may result in fines from Olympic Region Clean Air Agency.

If you have questions concerning fire safety, please call your local fire district. South Bay Fire Department (360) 491-5320.

PROHIBITED MATERIALS

It is against state law for any person to allow any outdoor fire that contains any of the following:

• Household garbage or trash (including cardboard or paper-other than what is necessary to start the fire).
• Dead animals
• Asphalt
• Petroleum products
• Paints
• Rubber products
• Plastics
• Treated wood
• Construction/demolition debris
• Metal
• Any other substance, which normally emits dense smoke or noxious odors when burned

ALTERNATIVES TO BURNING YARD DEBRIS

Curbside Yard Waste Collection - Call your garbage/recycling provider to see if collection of yard waste is available. This service is available in most areas of the county.

Mobile Chip And Grind Program - Drop off woody yard debris for free at bi-monthly events. Only woody material 15” in diameter or less (no stumps will be accepted). Program runs March through June and September through November. Call for dates (360) 740-6800.

Call Thurston county solid waste at (360) 754-2953 for more information on the following programs:

Neighborhood Chipping Days - Get four or more neighborhood households together and sign up for 2 free hours of chipping. Branches and brush 6” in diameter and less are accepted. You keep the chips! Program runs April through October. Call for details.

Haul To The Compost Center At The Waste And Recovery Center - Call Water and Waste Management for more information.

Backyard Compost Bins And Workshops - Get instructions to make your own compost bin, buy a reduced-rate compost bin, and learn the do’s and don’ts of home composting at workshops. Call for workshop dates.

Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (orcaa) offers alternatives to outdoor burning call (360) 586-1044 or visit WWW.ORCAA.ORG