It is summer and time to be more careful about outside burning. The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community issued a burn ban June 24, as has the Skagit County Fire Marshall. Environmental conditions are such that fires can spread out of control and impact air quality with smoke. Good air quality is especially important this year since COVID-19 affects the respiratory system, and we want to protect our lungs from any additional sources of irritation.

SITC has the authority to call a burn ban independently of Skagit County, according to our own criteria and needs. The Air Quality Program of the SITC Department of Environmental Protection is responsible for making burn ban assessments.

Burn bans are set for two reasons:

1. to reduce the threat of wildfire on Swinomish lands
2. to protect the health of all residents of the Swinomish Reservation by preventing bad air quality

It is important to adhere to burn bans when on the Swinomish Reservation to safeguard public safety and health. The fire forecast for August 2020 indicates that conditions in the Pacific Northwest and surrounding areas are at risk for increased fire activity. The seasonal forecast projects that we will see a dryer and hotter year than normal.

When SITC calls a regular (or Tier 1) burn ban, no open burning is allowed, except recreational, and cooking fires in approved fire pits are still permitted.

If it gets dry and hot enough, a stricter Tier 2 burn ban will be called, which means even recreational and cooking fires are no longer allowed. Wood stove use, except in homes where they are the primary heating source, may also be restricted.

There are burn ban signs when you enter and exit the Reservation that indicate whether or not the burn ban is in effect.

Information: swinomish.org/resources/environmental-protection/dep-services/burn-ban.aspx.

Larson and Roberts are Air Quality Program staff with the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community