A modified burn ban for all residential and land clearing fires in unincorporated Skagit County goes into effect 12 p.m. Friday, July 24, and continues until further notice. Skagit County will no longer issue permits for these activities and existing permits are suspended.

Recreational and cooking fires, limited to 3 feet in diameter and two feet high, are allowed within enclosures and when safety precautions are followed.

Recreational or cooking fires can consist only of charcoal, seasoned firewood or propane-fueled firepits and must meet the following requirements:

1. Enclosures must be at least 14 inches high, no wider than 3 feet, and made of cement blocks, stones or #10 gauge steel

2. Burned material must be kept below the top of the enclosure

3. A charged garden hose or two 5-gallon buckets of water or a 5-gallon Class A fire extinguisher and shovel must be present

4. Fires must be 15 feet from combustibles, standing timber or overhanging tree branches

5. Someone 16 years old or older must always be present to monitor and/or extinguish the fire

Those living in La Conner must check with the Town fire department for burning restrictions.

This ban does not pertain to agricultural burning permitted through the Northwest Clean Air Agency or silvicultural burning permitted through Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Contact the agencies for information.

Questions? Skagit County Fire Marshal’s Office at 360-416-1840, skagitcounty.net/firemarshal.

Source: Skagit County Fire Marshal’s Office