Outdoor Burning
With spring or fall, many homeowners start seasonal cleaning and preparation of their gardens and backyards. Along with the cleaning comes the decision of what to do with yard waste and trimmings. Hopefully, this will add some insight to what type of burning can now be conducted in rural Pierce County. Increased regulations pertaining to outdoor burning has been adopted by county, state and federal agencies. Most of the current permit and policies of local fire districts follow closely to rules adopted by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (P.S.C.A.A.). The current status of outdoor burning is as follows:
Land Clearing Burning: The P.S.C.A.A. ruled that land clearing burning be prohibited in Pierce County as of July 1, 2008. Land clearing burning is done when clearing property of trees and natural vegetation that is indigenous to the site for the purpose of building structure or land development. The PSCAA has determined that sufficient alternatives are now in place to permit disposal of vegetation and trees by other means such as chipping or transport to solid waste disposal facilities.
Allowed in the rural areas of South Pierce Fire and Rescue except in the town of Roy and McKenna. A burn permit is required and is available at Station 170 (5403 340th Street East, Eatonville, WA 98328)) and Station 171 (302 McNaught Street, Roy, WA 98580). Primary rules that need to be followed:
- The fire shall only include natural vegetation originated from the property and shall not include materials hauled from another property.
- Burn site shall have a 10’ non-combustible area around burn pile.
- Fires shall be located a minimum of 50’ from any structure.
- Fire sites will have minimum 10 gallons of water or a garden hose that can reach around the burn pile.
- Burning is restricted to daylight hours only and piles must be extinguished one hour prior to sunset. Burning is restricted to one pile at time.
- No vegetation shall be greater than 4 inches in diameter.
- No fire shall occur within 50’ from any property line or one hundred feet from a neighboring residence.
Permit is required and the same rules apply outlined in the small residential fires. Additional rules that need to be followed:
- If the vegetation includes material that is greater than four inches in diameter, the fires shall be constructed using heavy equipment (such as tractor loader or excavator) with an operator on site at all times. In addition a fan must be used to increase combustion.
- No fire shall occur within 100’ of a property line or three hundred feet of a neighboring residence.
Permitted burning is allowed from October 1st through July 15th unless a seasonal burn ban is in effect. There is no cost for permits to our citizens. If any emission from the fire is detrimental to health, safety, or welfare of any person, the fire shall be immediately extinguished. The primary goal is to have a system that is safe and limits the amount of harmful toxins emitted from outdoor fires.
There are other options for citizens to dispose of yard waste including free disposal at the Hidden Valley Landfill. Other ideas and options are available at the P.S.C.A.A. website www.pscleanair.org
RESIDENTIAL OUTDOOR BURN PERMIT
5403 340th Street East * Eatonville, WA 98328 * (253) 847-4333
Clean Air Agency: (800) 595-4341 * Emergency: 911
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE SUBMITTING THIS FORM.
SUBMISSION WILL BE CONSIDERED AGREEMENT TO THE TERMS SET BELOW.
This permit is issued on the following terms and conditions and proposed purposes stated herein:
- Burning shall be permitted under Clean Air Agency and South Pierce Fire and Rescue guidelines.
- The Fire District may revoke this permit at any time. The violation of or failure to comply with all South Pierce Fire and Rescue and Puget Sound Clean Air pollution authority regulations shall be subject to penalty.
GENERAL
- Burn barrels shall not be utilized for burning.
- Piles shall be no larger than four feet diameter and three feet high.
- Burn sites shall have a 10" non-combustible area around burn pile.
- Fire sites shall have a rake or shovel.
- Fire sites shall have a minimum 10 gallons of water or a garden hose that can reach around the burn pile.
- Fires shall be located at a minimum of 50' from any structure.
- No burning shall occur between July 16 and September 30.
- Permits are available at Station 170 located at 5403 340th Street East, Eatonville, WA 98328 and Station 171 located at 302 McNaught, Roy, WA 98580. Permits are valid October 1 through July 15. Permits must be renewed annually.
- A fire shall not be ignited, and must be extinguished, if an air pollution episode, impaired air quality conditions, or fire danger burn ban that applies to the burning, is declared for the area by the local fire protection agency or county fire marshal.
- The fire shall only include natural vegetation originated from the property and shall not include materials hauled from another property.
- If any emission from the fire is detrimental to the health, safety, welfare of any person, if it causes damage to property or business, or if it causes a nuisance as determined by the permitting agency, the fire shall be extinguished immediately.
- A person capable of extinguishing the fire shall attend it at all times and the fire must be extinguished before leaving it.
- Permission from the landowner, or owner's designated representative, shall be obtained before starting an outdoor fire.
- Burning is restricted to one pile at a time and each pile must be extinguished before lighting another.
- Burning is restricted to daylight hours only. Burning shall not commence prior to sunrise and all debris piles must be extinguished one hour prior to sunset.
- No vegetation shall be greater than four inches in diameter.
- No fire shall occur within fifty feet of any property line or one hundred feet of a neighboring residence.
PILES LARGER THAN FOUR (4) FEET IN DIAMETER AND THREE (3) FEET HIGH:
- The person responsible for the fire shall obtain a written permit from the local fire protection agency or county fire marshal.
- No pile shall exceed ten feet diameter and six feet high.
- If the vegetation includes material greater than four inches in diameter, the fire shall be constructed using heavy equipment (such as a track hoe or excavator) with an operator on site at all times and must employ fans to increase combustion.
- No fire shall occur within one hundred feet of a property line or three hundred feet of a neighboring residence, unless the permitting agency establishes different site specific setback requirements in the permit.
For a printable version of the Proper Design for Your Home Fire Ring click here.