Public Hearings & Notices

Outdoor Burning Changes in Spokane County

On November 6, 2008, the Board of the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency amended its outdoor burning regulations in Spokane County. The changes, which will be effective May 1, 2009, include the following:

• Simplify the regulation by not re-stating regulations already included in Chapter 173-425 WAC;
• Alleviate written permits and fees for fire fighting instruction permits and fire extinguisher training permits;
• Allow noxious weed control burn permits to be issued directly by the Spokane County Noxious Weed Control Board; 
• Discontinue administration of the 8-day residential (yard & garden) burning season; and
• Phase-out residential land clearing burning in Spokane County after December 31, 2010.

Changes to:	Currently:	Effective May 1, 2009:
Overall Outdoor Burning Regulation (Section 6.01)	10 pages; restates regulations in Chapter 173-425 WAC	4 pages; doesn't restate regulations in Ch 173-425 WAC
Residential Yard & Garden debris burn program	Spokane Clean Air administers an 8-day, spring-only season. Four Fire Districts in Spokane County have delegated agreements to administer the program in their jurisdictions.	Spokane Clean Air will no longer administer this debris burn program. Per state law, other entities may request delegation of the program.
Fire Fighting Instruction Fires	Annual permit required, $25 fee.	No annual permit or fee required. Requirements for conducting burning are included in Section 6.01.
Fire Extinguisher training fires	Annual permit required, $25 fee.	No annual permit or fee required. Requirements for conducting burning are included in Section 6.01.
Land Clearing Burning	Allowed for residential land clearing fires consisting of natural vegetation (slash) cleared from less than one acre of forested land on a 5-acre or larger parcel.	Phase-out of land clearing burning after 12/31/10.
Noxious Weed Burning	Spokane Clean Air consults with Spokane County Noxious Weed Control Board.	Spokane County Noxious Weed Control Board can issue permits directly.

No changes to the following:

Fire hazard abatement - Fire Districts may enter into agreements with Spokane Clean Air to issue written Fire Hazard abatement permits within their jurisdiction. No Burn Area (NBA) - Residential (yard/garden) burning not allowed in NBAs Urban Growth Areas (UGAs) - Residential (yard/garden) burning not allowed in UGAs Recreational fires - Cook/campfires; patio/deck warmers; etc. Agricultural burning - No changes to Section 6.11 - Agricultural burning Silvicultural burning - Regulated/administered by DNR Education/outreach - Including routine chipping/composting events; NBA signage, etc. Enforcement of outdoor burning regulations

To view the current outdoor burning regulation, click here. To view the adopted Outdoor Burning Regulation which is effective May 1, 2009, click here.