Burn ban upgraded in Snohomish County: No recreational fires

EVERETT — Recreational fires are now a no-go in Snohomish County.

The county upgraded a burn ban on Wednesday to Stage 2, to include all outdoor burning, even small recreational fires. Enclosed outdoor cooking appliances, like gas or charcoal grills or pellet smokers, are still allowed. The ban will be in effect until further notice.

According to a news release from the Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s Office, the upgraded burn ban is due to high fire danger, little rain and the fact that local crews have been deployed to help with wildfires elsewhere.

After a lightning storm on Aug. 3, seven small wildfires sprouted in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, with the largest being the Pincer Creek Fire near Marblemount, at 15 acres. They haven’t grown much, but with excessive heat coming this way, there’s cause for concern. If they do spread, the rugged, steep terrain would pose a challenge for firefighters.

The ban covers unincorporated Snohomish County, as well as nearly every city: Brier, Darrington, Edmonds, Everett, Gold Bar, Granite Falls, Index, Lake Stevens, Marysville, Mill Creek, Monroe, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, Snohomish and Sultan.

Anyone who lives in a city or town not listed in the county’s burn ban, such as Arlington and Stanwood, should contact their city fire marshal or fire department for the latest information.

Additionally, all outdoor burn permits, including those issued by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency for agricultural burning, are suspended until the ban is lifted.

The ban won’t be lifted until there has been a sustained period of rainfall and the fire risk returns to low, the news release says.

For updated information, contact the Outdoor Burning Information Hotline at 425-388-3508.

Zachariah Bryan: 425-339-3431; zbryan@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @zachariahtb.