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 [...]
PEND OREILLE COUNTY BURNING CONTROLS IN EFFECT Effective August 7, 2026 at 12:01am: All debris burning on DNR jurisdiction is prohibited. This includes rule burning and permit burning. Campfires are prohibited. Contact Department of Ecology to check if an air-quality ban is in place for your area. Daily updates on burn restrictions are available at 1-800-323-BURN.
PEND OREILLE COUNTY BURNING CONTROLS IN EFFECT The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced a ban on campfires as of Friday, July 17th, on all lands protected from wildfire by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in Pend Oreille County. Therefore, in accordance with Pend Oreille County Burning Control Ordinance 2011-3: “Whenever the Washington [...]
South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue was busy over the weekend of the 4th. We responded to brush fires, structure fires, traffic accidents, and medical calls. A major incident in the afternoon on the 4th resulted in three severely injured patients which were initially transported by ground, two later flown out by LifeFlight. A separate incident [...]
Our next SPOFR career Lieutenant to introduce is Lt. Jeff Littlefield! Lt. Littlefield is a certified EMT and a respected training expert throughout the region. He brings more than two decades of experience serving in Idaho and Washington and has already made a positive impact by motivating our crews. He has also used his training connections [...]
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced a ban on all outdoor Rule Burns (Debris Burns) and burning without a DNR permit in all of Pend Oreille County effective at 12:01 a.m. July 3, 2026. Campfires are allowed in designated campgrounds. Therefore, in accordance with Pend Oreille County Burning Control Ordinance 2011-3: “Whenever the Washington [...]
Our first career Lieutenant/Paramedic to introduce is Marie Balak! Lt./Paramedic Marie Goltara Balak recently relocated to the area with her husband following his decorated career as a Navy aviator. A proud mother of a young son, Marie is excited to bring her incredibly diverse skill set to South Pend Oreille Fire & Rescue. Marie has worked [...]
South Pend Oreille Fire & Rescue is proud to welcome our newest Lieutenants following the successful completion of Lieutenant Orientation Week 2026. Please join us in welcoming Lieutenant Marie Balak, Lieutenant Jeff Littlefield, and Lieutenant Steven Bailey to their new leadership roles within the organization. They join Lieutenant Jeff Borrero, who was promoted last year and [...]
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that all outdoor Rule Burns (Debris Burns) in South/Mid Pend Oreille County are prohibited effective at 12:01 a.m. May 29, 2026. Burning with a DNR Permit is allowed subject to the conditions on the permit. Campfires are allowed in designated campgrounds. There are currently no burning restrictions [...]
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will announce outdoor burning restrictions effective May 29 at 0001 hours. No rule burning will be allowed in the Methow, Valley, Highlands, Foothills, and Upper Basin FDRAs on DNR jurisdiction lands. Campfires will only be allowed in approved designated campgrounds. Daily updates on burn restrictions are available at [...]
