SWCAA - Lewis Burning Info

A fire safety burn ban for Lewis County is in effect July 10 until further notice, prohibiting all residential burning and land clearing burning. All small, recreational fires are allowed within UL-approved burning receptacles (not burn barrels) or approved campfire sites. All outstanding permits for outdoor fires will not be valid during this fire safety burn ban. For additional burning information, contact Lewis County Community Development at 360-740-1146.

A series of yard waste composting and chipping events will be held throughout Lewis County this spring and fall. Lewis County Solid Waste, Lewis County Firewise and LeMay Inc. are sponsoring at least nine events to give residents an alternative to outdoor burning of yard waste.

"This is a real opportunity for residents that want to rid themselves of the storm damaged trees and limbs that may serve as fuel for wildfire this summer," said Gregg Pohll, a fire education and prevention specialist for Lewis County. "We also want to give residents in No-Burn Areas an alternative to burning or placing the material into a landfill," Pohll continued.

Dates have been set for nine events throughout the county, but the exact locations will be set as each event approaches. The dates for each community are as follows:

Sun. April 13th - Packwood
Sat. April 19th - Chehalis/Centralia "Re-Use" Fair
Sun. April 27th - Toledo
Sat. May 10th - Napavine
Sat. May 31st - Mossyrock
Sat. May 31st - Morton (no chipping available)
Sun. Sept 7th - Packwood
Sat. Sept. 20th - Pe Ell
Sat. Sept 27th - Winlock

All residents of Lewis County are encouraged to plan ahead and participate in these free events. Residents can bring their yard waste and be prepared to unload their own materials at the site. Only yard waste will be accepted (leaves, grass clippings, branches, weeds, scotch broom, etc.). For more information, visit firewiselewiscounty.org or call Lewis County Firewise at 1-800-562-6130, ext. 2751.

WAC 173-425 bans the use of a burn barrel and prohibits the burning of all material, except natural vegetation grown on the property and fire wood (defined as bare, untreated wood, not dimensional lumber). This regulation also prohibits burning during periods of impaired air quality and prohibits outdoor burning from becoming a nuisance to surrounding neighbors and businesses. Fire safety burn-bans may also be called by county or local fire protection authorities.

Burn Barrel Use Prohibited
The use of a burn barrel was banned in the State of Washington effective April 13, 2000. Burning garbage has been illegal in the State of Washington since 1967.

Recreational fires
Recreational fires under 3'x3'x2' are still allowed in all of Lewis County without a permit. Only charcoal or seasoned firewood (no lumber) may be used as fuel for a recreational fire. Recreational fires must be used solely for recreational purposes and may not be used for disposal of yard debris or any other material. Recreational fires may not cause a smoke or odor nuisance to surrounding properties and are subject to burn bans. Recreational fires larger than 3'x3'x2' inside no burn areas need a written permit from SWCAA.

Unincorporated Lewis County (Outside City Limits and Urban Growth Areas)
All burn piles, land clearing and residential, in unincorporated Lewis County require a free permit from Lewis County Community Development. Pile size varies with seasonal restrictions as outlined in the Lewis County Open Burn Permit. Call Lewis County Community Development at 360-740-1146 for more information or visit the Lewis County website to download a free permit.

Incorporated Lewis County (Inside City Limits or Urban Growth Areas)
After January 1, 2007 No burning, except recreational fires smaller than 3'x3'x2' (no lumber or yard debris) will be allowed inside incorporated cities or their Urban Growth Areas. Cities included in the burn ban are Centralia, Chehalis, Morton, Mossyrock, Napavine, Pe Ell, Toledo, Vader and Winlock. For more information call SWCAA at 1-800-633-0709.

Areas Where Burning is Not Allowed
WAC 173-425 prohibits outdoor burning in cities with a population of greater than 10,000 and their Urban Growth Areas. Prohibitions also apply to adjacent areas with a population density of 1,000 or more persons per square mile and areas with a reasonable alternative to burning. As of January 1, 2007 urban growth areas for incorporated cities with populations less than 5,000 also become no burn areas.

Centralia/Chehalis and their surrounding Urban Growth Areas meet the first of these criteria therefore burning was permanently banned, with the exception of recreational fires under 3'x3'x2', within the Urban Growth Areas of Centralia/Chehalis since January 1, 2001. This no-burn area may be expanded in the future. Call SWCAA at 1-800-633-0709 for more information.

As of January 1, 2007, Morton, Mossyrock, Napavine, Pe Ell, Toledo, Vader, Winlock and their surrounding Urban Growth Areas become no burn areas, with the exception of recreational fires smaller than 3'x3'x2' (no lumber, yard debris or garbage). Land clearing burning will be prohibited in all areas of the state with a population density of 1,000 or more persons per square mile as of January 1, 2007.

Silvicultural Burning
For all silvicultural/forest practice burning call the Pacific Cascades Region of the Department of Natural Resources at 360-577-2025. There is a permit fee.

Agricultural Burning
To qualify for agricultural burning inside the no-burn boundaries you must have filed a "Schedule F" with your federal income tax. Orchard prunings alone do not qualify for an agricultural burn and other restrictions apply (WAC 173-430). Call SWCAA for detailed information, forms and possible fees. For more information about this program, click here.