Burn Permit Rules
Determining Legal Burning Areas
If you would like to burn, follow these steps to start the permit process:
- Check the Whatcom County Burn Map to determine if your property is located in an area that allows open burning. Due to air pollution regulations open burning is prohibited in all cities and all urban growth areas (except recreational fires.)
- Determine if you can burn the material you want to burn. Air pollution regulations prohibit burning any of the following: garbage, dead animals, asphalt, petroleum products, paints, rubber products, plastics, paper (other than enough to start a fire), cardboard, treated wood, construction or demolition debris (including untreated milled lumber), metal, or any substance other than natural vegetation.
- Written Burn permits application received at Planning and Development Service are reviewed by Natural Resource staff prior to issuance.
- Do you live in Point Roberts, on Lummi Island or at Sandy Point? In these areas burn permits may be obtained by contacting your local fire district.
- Whatcom County Fire District 5 provides permits for Point Roberts, you can contact them by calling 360-945-3473.
- Whatcom County Fire District 11 provides permits for Lummi Island, you can contact them by calling 360-758-2411.
- Whatcom County Fire District 17 provides permits for Sandy Point, you can contact them by calling 360-384-1480.
- Review the Northwest Clean Air Agency's Outdoor Burning Permit Information for requirements on outdoor burning.
- Along with Whatcom County Fire Marshall's Office, Fire District 5, and Fire District 11, the other agencies that issue burn permits are:
- Department of Natural Resources
- Lummi Nation
- Northwest Clean Air Agency
- U.S. Forest Service
- U.S. Park Service.
Prohibited Area
If you are in an area where outdoor burning is prohibited, or a burn ban is in effect, please visit the Yard Waste Disposal Options page to see alternatives to land-clearing and yard waste burning.
Legal Area
Once you have determined you are in an area where the Fire Marshal’s Office issues permits and the material you want to burn is legal, you can apply for one of the following types of burn permits:
Up to 4 x 4-foot pile permissible with verbal permit, call Burn Hotline at 360-778-5903.
Up to 10 x 10-foot pile with written permit, fill out our Burn Permit Application
Submit your completed application via email to [email protected]. You will receive an invoice once your application has been processed. Fees come to $61.80 per 7-day burn period.
Regulations:
- 50 feet from structures, timber, and combustibles
- Garden hose or (2) 5-gallon buckets at fire for 4-by-4-foot pile
- Garden hose or 55-gallon with pump / hose at fire for 10-by-10-foot pile
- Hand tools required onsite
- Bare ground fire break required and 15 feet clear overhead
- Daylight hours burning only
- Must have landowner permission to light all fires
Up to 25 feet by 25 feet pile permissible with Commercial Burn Permit Application.
Submit your completed application via email to [email protected]. You will receive an Invoice once your application has been processed. Fees are $120 per day.
Commercial & Land Clearing Burns must meet these regulations:
- 1 pile burning at a time unless permitted otherwise
- 50 feet from structures, timber, combustibles, and power lines
- 350 gallon of water, 1.5 inch hose, and pump required at fire
- Excavator required with operator while burning
- Fan required to start fire
- Firebreak between piles must equal size of pile
- 24 hours a day burning allowed as permitted
- Must have landowner permission to light all fires
No permit is required for Recreational Fires in Whatcom County but they must meet the following regulations:
- Must only contain seasoned firewood or charcoal
- Must be contained in an enclosure no larger than 3 feet by 3 feet and must be 16 inches high made of cement blocks, stones or steel.
- Beach fires (where allowed) can be dug into an 8" deep pit, surrounded by 4" high enclosure rocks.
- 25 feet from structures, timber, and combustible material
- 15 feet overhead clearance required
- A charged garden hose or (2) 5-gallon buckets full of water to be next to the fire.
- A shovel or rake capable of stirring and extinguishing the fire to be on-site
- Recreational fires are allowed after dark, if attended by someone 16 years or older at all times.
- Fires must be attended until out cold.
- No burning when winds exceed 7 MPH.
- Must have landowner permission to light all fires.
Fire Marshal's Guide to Recreational Fires and Outdoor Fireplaces