PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County imposed a burn ban last week prohibiting all but small recreational fires, but the local fire chief has characterized the action as redundant.
“We have already had a burn ban notice posted on our website since July 1,” said East Jefferson Fire-Rescue Chief Gordon Pomeroy.
Clallam County also has a burn ban in effect, which began July 1 and will extend through Oct. 1.
Jefferson County Department of Community Development Director Al Scalf sent an e-mail notification of the ban at 12:45 p.m. Thursday, saying it was triggered by Department of Natural Resources’ upgrade of fire danger from fair to moderate.
The designation also was made for Clallam County. In both counties, DNR began a burn ban Thursday that will extend through Sept. 30.
‘Disconnect’
Pomeroy sent his own e-mail to the same distribution list at 2:48 p.m. Thursday.
In the e-mail, he said, “This is good news, but it also illustrates a disconnect between the fire districts and the county when it comes to this specific issue.”
Pomeroy said that regional fire chiefs have already instituted a July 1 through Aug. 31 burn ban in districts 1, 3 and 5.
The DCD ban covers the entire county on an “until further notice” basis.
In his e-mail, Pomeroy said, “the public is being given instructions from too many entities which will cause consternation. There is a definite lack of communication between all concerned.”
Pomeroy said he got a response from Scalf requesting that the two meet next week about the matter.
“That’s a good first step,” Pomeroy said. “We need to start talking to each other.”
Scalf said the current ban was triggered by a change of the fire danger index established by the Washington Department of Natural Resources, which is based on temperature and soil moisture content.
Jefferson County automatically changes the rating when the conditions change and the notification falls to the Department of Community Development.
Scalf said that any potential violators will be visited by the fire department and asked to put out their fires before any citations are issued.
Recreational fires OK
In both Jefferson and Clallam counties, recreational fires for cooking and camping are still allowed, while the burning of yard debris is not.
Small counties combine related jobs, and Scalf also serves as the county fire marshal in addition to his DCD responsibilities.
As has been the law for many years, burn barrels are illegal in Washington state, and there is no burning allowed within city limits or any other designated Urban Growth Areas.
During the period of the burn ban, violators may be assessed fines of thousands of dollars.
For more information about burning regulations, phone the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency at 800-422-5623.
To obtain a DNR burning permit for silvicultural burning, phone Olympic Region DNR at 360-374-6131.
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Jefferson County reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.