Burn Permit Application

This application will also serve as your permit to burn. there is NO FEE for this permit. however, you must submit this application before the permit is activated and you must keep your application/permit with you at the burn site as proof of your permit to burn. OPEN BURNING is permitted subject to the following conditions:

Burn Periods, Sizes and Materials This permit is good from the date of application through midnight June 30th. After June 30th you must utilize the July 1st through October 15th application. You are required to daily monitor of public announcements or postings by the Building Official on open burning restrictions—including accessing the County website or telephoning the County open burning message line. Fires shall be limited to vegetation piles with outside dimensions of no greater than twenty feet by twenty feet by twelve feet high. Open burning of rubbish containing paper products is prohibited. All outdoor fires shall be restricted to natural vegetation grown on the property where the burning occurs, consisting of leaves, clippings, pruning, residue from trees, stumps or other natural occurring vegetation. All other material is prohibited except what paper is necessary to ignite the burning process.

Time and Atmospheric Restrictions Open burning shall only be performed when time and atmospheric conditions comply with the limits set forth in the County’s open-burning permit. Further, no open burning shall be performed during periods of discontinuance by the Building Official, as below discussed, even if allowed by another agency or regional air quality authority permit or approval system, and even if performed at such times and during atmospheric conditions which comply with the limits set forth in that other system; EXCEPT, where such other system expressly preempts local Building Official authority regarding discontinuance. It is recommended that you contact other agencies, including Southwest Clean Air Agency, on open burning under their system(s).

Restrictions on Burn Periods No open burning shall be done during the declared period of impaired air quality or during a discontinuance of open burning by the County Building Official. Burning conditions and restrictions should be checked each day before burning. You may use the County phone number provided above or you may check the County website. Burning shall be conducted only during daylight hours. Only one pile may be burned at a time and it must be extinguished before starting another.

Location Open burning shall not be conducted within 50 feet of any structure or other combustible material. Conditions which could cause the fire to spread to within 50 feet of a structure shall be eliminated prior to ignition; EXCEPT, clearance from structures and other combustible material is allowed to be reduced as follows: (1) Not less that twenty feet when using a burning appliance, approved by the Building Official; (2) Not less than twenty-five feet for piles sizes four feet by four feet or less; (3) Not less than fifty feet for pile sizes greater than four feet by four feet; (4) No fires are permitted in or within five hundred feet of forest slash without first obtaining a written permit under the rules of large fire permits.

Fire-extinguishing Equipment and Attendance A garden hose connected to a steady water supply and other standard fireextinguishing equipment, such as shovel, shall be readily available for use at open-burning site. Burning material shall be constantly attended by an adult knowledgeable in the use of the fire extinguishing equipment required above, and familiar with the permit limitations and with County discontinuance or ‘burn ban’ restrictions open burning. This attendant shall supervise the burning material until the fire has been extinguished. The attendant must also be in possession of the application/permit at the burn site. You are responsible for any damage or injury caused by your fire, and a local fire authority may charge you for the cost of fire response and control. IF YOU HAVE AN ESCAPED/OUT-OF-CONTROL FIRE, DIAL 911 TO REPORT IT TO FIRE AUTHORITIES.

Discontinuance of Open Burning The Building Official and the Code Compliance Officer are authorized to require burning be immediately discontinued if either determines that smoke emissions are offensive to occupants of surrounding property or if either determines that open burning constitutes a potentially hazardous condition. The Building Official may also issue an emergency discontinuance order or ‘burn ban’ on all outdoor burning in all or portions of the County, which may include recreational fires. The Board of Commissioners may extend the discontinuance order or ‘burn ban’ for an indefinite period. If extended, the discontinuance order or ‘burn ban’ would remain in effect until the Board of Commissioners resolve that the order be lifted. You are required to check with the County prior to commencing a burn to determine is such a discontinuance order has been issued.

Entry onto Property By applying for permission to conduct open burning, you acknowledge that the Building Official or Code Compliance Officer, and the Sheriff’s Office during “burn bans”, may enter property regarding compliance with permit conditions.

Disclaimer This permit is for Lewis County authorization to conduct open burning outside of any city limits, only, and is not intended to replace any burn prohibition, air quality regulation or applicable fire safety requirements, codes, or restrictions of another appropriate public agency.