WHATCOM COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL’S OFFICE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Whatcom County, WA — September 10, 2024 — Due to the increase in fuel moisture levels and
forecasted cooler temperatures and rainfall, the Fire Marshal’s Office will lift the burn ban for
outdoor burning. The burn ban will be lifted at 8:00 AM on Saturday, September 14th, 2024
for the unincorporated areas of Whatcom County. At that time, verbal burn permits will be
available via the Outdoor Burning Information Line. Written burn permits for fires larger than 4’
X 4’ will be available at the Planning & Development Services Office located at 5280 Northwest
Dr. All outdoor burning requires a permit, except for legal recreational fires.
If your property is located within WCFD 5 – Pt. Roberts, WCFD 11 – Lummi Island, or WCFD 17 –
Sandy Point, you MUST contact those fire districts to find out if outdoor burning restrictions have
been lifted for those areas.
If a property you want to have a fire on falls under the jurisdiction of the Washington State
Department of Natural Resources or a federal forest or park jurisdiction, you must contact those
organizations prior to lighting any fire.
For current outdoor burning information and verbal burn permits please call the Outdoor Burning
Information Line at (360) 778-5903. Requirements for all types of outdoor burning are
available on our website at: Land-Clearing Commercial, Residential, Recreational-Campfire. You
can apply online for a burn permit on our website – Online Burn Permit. Once completed email
the application to EPermits@co.whatcom.wa.us, a staff member will contact you to complete the
process.
A permanent ban on open burning remains in effect for the cities and Urban Growth Areas
(UGAs) of Bellingham, Lynden, Ferndale, Blaine, Everson, Nooksack, Sumas, Birch Bay, Columbia
Valley, and Cherry Point. Check the link below to see your property is within a UGA – UGA Map
Whatcom County.
Please remember as the burn ban is lifted:
• Please use extreme caution! Vegetation is still recovering from the long stretch
of dry weather and is susceptible to fire spread.
• Violations of these burn restrictions can result in a minimum $250.00 fine. In addition, if
you have an illegal fire that escapes or needs to be extinguished by the fire department,
you may be held financially responsible for fire suppression costs and may be criminally
charged for Reckless Burning.
If you have any questions about open burning in Whatcom County that were not answered by
the Outdoor Burning Information Line, please contact the Whatcom County Fire Marshal’s Office
at (360) 778-5900.
Contact: Tiffany Honey, WCFMO
thoney@whatcomcounty.us
(360)778-5964
www.whatcomcounty.us/FireMarshal
Follow Us: Facebook