10/31/2022
Our local weather has turned toward winter, and our Burn Ban Resolution expires tomorrow, things to know before you burn. First of all please be safe.
Alternatives to burning
• Grasscycle — Leave grass clippings on your lawn to add nutrients back into the soil for a healthy lawn.
• Compost — Break down your yard waste (leaves, grass, prunings) in a bin or a pile to make compost.
• Chip — Chip branches and prunings to use in your garden or throughout your property as free mulch. Use on your driveway to reduce dust.
These first three options are best for the providing nutrients to the soil, enhance the soil structure, and as a bonus reduce the risk of fire dangers.
More info can be found at: https://www.compostmagazine.com/compost-soil-structure/
We also have the option of Community cleanup days — Typically the first week of April in Grand Coulee, your community has a cleanup event to dispose of yard waste. Watch the local paper for details. We will try to post prior to the event dates as we learn more.
Why outdoor burning is a problem
• Smoke from outdoor burning pollutes the air, causing serious health problems. Much like cigarette smoke, the smoke from burning leaves, grass, brush, and tree needles can cause asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, and lung cancer. Children, the elderly, and those with breathing problems are harmed the most by poor air quality.
• Burning also pollutes water and soil when smoke particles fall into them.
• Backyard fires can get out of control fast and cause wildfires. You can be held responsible for the cost of putting out your fire, which can be expensive and dangerous.
• Smoke from outdoor burning can be just as bad for your health as cigarette smoke. Protect yourself, your family, and your neighbors by choosing not to burn.
If you really need to burn. Great information is available from out Department of Ecology at https://ecology.wa.gov/Air-Climate/Air-quality/Smoke-fire/Outdoor-residential-burning
Allowed burning includes:
• Barbecues. Burn only briquettes, propane, or dry, seasoned firewood.
• Campfires. Fire must not be bigger than 3 feet wide x 3 feet wide x 2 feet tall. Burn only dry, seasoned firewood. Best if you have a good fire ring and a screen on top to reduce the chance of sparks traveling away from the controlled zone. Campfires must be attended at all times.
• No permit is needed for BBQ or Campfires.
For yard waste you must:
Contact one of your Fire District Commissioners - Get permission before you burn. We are working on creating an official permitting process – no fee required yet. Email works best but a phone call to one of the commissioners can work, they should follow up with an email response as your proof you got permission for now. Use the following guidelines:
• Make sure it is good conditions. Higher humidity (cloudy), no or very low winds, and moisture on the ground to help you attend the fire and keep it under control.
• Fire must not be bigger than 4 feet wide x 4 feet wide x 3 feet tall. You can feed the fire to reduce your waste as needed, but please don’t let it get beyond your control. The idea of the small pile is that the heat can theoretically be controlled with simple tools and garden hose.
• Burn only natural, unprocessed vegetation.
• Keep the fire 50 feet away from any structure.
• Attend the fire at all times. If you must leave the fire, have a competent person attend for you or you put the fire out cold.
• Have charged hose that can safely reach all sides of the fire. A charged hose simply means to turn on the hose and use a nozzle so that the hose is full and ready to use.
• Make sure your smoke doesn't affect your neighbors. This is not only a courtesy but a health risk.
Contacts for other Ecology questions in Lincoln County please call 509-329-3400 or email [email protected]
Burn barrels are illegal statewide. A fire in a burn barrel creates toxic smoke that stays low to the ground. That toxic smoke is bad for your health.
