Damp August prompts county to lift burn ban

Published 9:47 pm Monday, September 1, 2008

The unseasonable August rain dampened pool parties, back-to-school picnics and camping trips.

But it’s had at least one good side effect. The rain has lowered the risk of forest fires enough that a countywide burn ban is being canceled Tuesday.

The ban had prohibited outdoor agricultural fires and residential burns that required permits. Snohomish County instituted the ban in midsummer due to dangerously dry conditions. It did not affect campfires, which don’t require permits.

“With the amount of rain that we’ve gotten, the dead fuels that are on the ground (have) soaked up the moisture,” said Snohomish County Fire Marshall Tom Maloney. “We still want people to burn with caution and burn responsibly.”

People who have residential burn permits may now proceed with their planned fires. Burn permits are issued by the Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s Office and by local fire districts.

The permits cost $30 each and are only available for rural land outside urban growth areas and established no-burn zones in unincorporated Snohomish County.

As directed by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, all land-clearing fires remain prohibited in unincorporated Snohomish County.

For updated information, call the Outdoor Burning Information Hotline at 425-388-3508 or the Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s Office at 425-388-3557.

Reporter Kaitlin Manry: 425-339-3292 or kmanry@heraldnet.com.