ORCAA News: Outdoor Burning Updates
Plan to burn your yard waste? Get updates on safe and legal practices
Need to get rid of yard waste? Consider alternatives to burning such as chipping, composting, or hauling to your local transfer station. If you choose to burn in Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Mason, or Pacific counties, the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) asks you to fill out a free online notification form. In Thurston County, the form is required to get a legal permit to burn.
This notification process gives local fire districts and ORCAA a chance to share information about best practices for fire safety and smoke management. It also helps you stay safe and legal when burning yard waste.
The free permit is required in Thurston County, but in ORCAA’s other five counties, the notification form is free, voluntary, and easy to complete. Find it here – Residential Yard-Waste Burn Notification
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a residential fire?
Residential fires refer to the burning of small amounts of yard waste accumulated on residential lots only. Washington state law restricts pile size to 4 feet in diameter in most areas. Burn piles should contain only dry, natural vegetation. No trash, milled lumber, or construction debris is allowed. Visit www.orcaa.org/burning/outdoor-burning/
Why should I submit an online residential burn notification?
This is a cost-efficient means of sharing information about safe, legal outdoor burning. It also provides a means to reach out to potential burners in the event of fire safety or air quality burn bans, or other public safety events concerning fires.
How do I submit a notification of my residential burn?
ORCAA maintains a simple online notification form for residential burns. The form is easy to use and includes information on keeping your burn safe and legal.
How much does it cost?
The Residential Burn Notification process is free and easy.
What does ORCAA do with the information it collects?
In addition to providing you with all the rules regarding keeping your fire safe and legal, the notification system gives ORCAA and local fire districts contact information for potential burners should there be a need to call a fire safety or air quality burn ban.
Who benefits from this voluntary notification system?
Everyone. ORCAA, fire districts, and residential yard waste burners all benefit. Even people who don’t burn benefit, because their neighbors get better information on safe, clean burning practices. Burners who know how to stay safe and legal are less likely to cause fire- or smoke-related complaints. That, in turn, means ORCAA and fire districts can cut their complaint response times and costs. The system also keeps all notifications with one agency.
Visit www.orcaa.org for the free notification form.
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