PORT ANGELES — Residents of unincorporated Clallam County can burn recreational fires again now that the county has joined the state and Jefferson County in loosening its fire restrictions.
County Fire Marshal Annette Warren announced Friday that the county’s fire danger has been downgraded from high to moderate.
That means the county no longer has a complete ban of all outdoor burning, which was enacted earlier this summer during severe drought.
How high?
Instead, recreational fires no larger than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height in fire pits or concrete rings are allowed.
Still banned are other outdoor fires such as those for land-clearing or incinerating yard debris.
The action is because of cooler temps and higher humidity levels, according to Chief Sam Phillips of Clallam County Fire District No. 2.
“We had a few recent rains, although drier weather is forecast,” he said.
“The risk is largely reduced as long as people are cautious.”
DNR allowances
The state Department of Natural Resources allowed campfires in fire rings or pits on state lands west of the Cascades as of Sept. 5.
That action lifted a Stage 2 ban, which prohibited all outdoor burning, and reduced the ban to Stage 1, which permits recreational campfires in established state Department of Natural Resources fire rings.
Jefferson County loosened its burn restrictions last weekend, following the state’s lead as it amended its burn ban to Stage 1.
More information
For a fuller description of activities prohibited by the state burn ban, visit http://tinyurl.com/PDN-DNRburnrules.
For Jefferson County information, see www.ejfr.org.
For Clallam County information, see http://tinyurl.com/PDN-clallamfirerules.
