Burn ban to take effect Friday in unincorporated areas of Skagit County
Jun. 22—On the heels of hot weather Monday and a scorcher forecast for Saturday, Skagit County announced Monday that a burn ban will take effect at noon Friday.
The burn ban will apply to all unincorporated areas of the county. Residents of cities or towns should check with their local fire departments about burning rules.
"Due to forecasted weather conditions, a modified burn ban for all residential and land clearing fires in unincorporated Skagit County will go into effect at noon Friday, June 25th, and continue until further notice," a news release states. "Skagit County will no longer issue permits for these activities and existing permits are suspended."
The ban allows recreational and cooking fires if certain conditions are met.
Those fires can be up to 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet high, using wood, charcoal or fuel within barbecue or firepit enclosures. The enclosures must be at least 14 inches high and made of cement, stone or No. 10 gauge steel, and the burning material must be fully contained.
A garden hose, two 5-gallon buckets of water, or a 5-gallon Class A fire extinguisher and shovel must be present during any such burning, and the fire must be at least 15 feet from vegetation or other combustible materials.
Any burning must be overseen by someone 16 or older.
For more information, contact the Skagit County Fire Marshal's Office at 360-416-1840, or visit skagitcounty.net/firemarshal.
— Reporter Kimberly Cauvel: 360-416-2199, kcauvel@skagitpublishing.com, Twitter: @Kimberly_SVH, Facebook.com/bykimberlycauvel
