Burn Ban Update Effective Friday, October 16

The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced that the fire danger ratings in Pend Oreille County will move to “Low” on Friday, October 16, at 00:01.

Rule burns will be allowed beginning Friday, October 16, 2026 at 00:01 for forest debris (individual pile size is limited to ten feet). For burn piles that do not meet the requirements of a Rule Burn, a Burn Permit is needed from DNR.

Please notify the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office the day of your burn by calling 509-447-1980.

Residents are reminded of the following burning guidelines from the Washington State Department of Ecology:

Burning in a burn barrel is illegal everywhere in Washington!
You can burn only natural vegetation.
If smoke from your fire affects your neighbor, you must put out your fire.
Burning is not the only way to get rid of natural vegetation. Consider composting & chipping.
Where burning is allowed, you may burn only one pile at a time.
Do not leave your fire unattended.
No residential fires are allowed within 500 feet of forest slash
If you see someone you think is burning illegally, or if the smoke from someone’s fire is bothering you, call Ecology’s toll-free complaint line at 1-866-211-6284.
No fires are allowed within 50 feet of structures.
You can’t burn materials hauled from another property in your fire.
No outdoor fires are allowed when air pollution levels are unhealthy.