Island County announces early burn ban ahead of July Fourth

Island County will move into a Type 1 burn ban at 7 a.m. Wednesday, July 1, shutting down outdoor burning of natural debris countywide just as residents begin preparing for Fourth of July gatherings.

Sheriff Rick Felici, who also serves as county fire marshal, made the call in concurrence with the county’s fire protection districts and the Northwest Clean Air Agency. The proclamation keeps the ban in place until further notice and tells residents to report violations to 911.

The restriction matters for homeowners, rural property owners, and anyone waiting for a dry-weather burn day to clear brush or yard waste. Under the ban, all outdoor burning of natural debris is prohibited even if a permit has been issued. Recreational fires remain allowed in approved fire pits, and propane grills, briquettes and self-contained camp stoves are still permitted.

Fireworks are allowed under the current Type 1 rules, but county officials warned that could change if conditions worsen and Island County moves to a Type 2 ban before the holiday weekend. Reduced moisture, low humidity and warmer weather have pushed fire danger higher across Whidbey Island, Camano Island and the rest of the county.

The timing is also shaped by what firefighters are already seeing on the ground. Island County departments have dealt with smaller wildfires this season, while some Whidbey firefighters have been sent to help with larger fires in Eastern Washington, leaving local crews balancing home protection with mutual aid.

Island County’s outdoor-burning rules say written burn permits are issued through Island County Health, and some larger permits for fires over 4 feet in diameter are handled in person in Coupeville on Whidbey Island or on Camano Island. The county also says burning garbage and using burn barrels are illegal statewide and can bring fines that exceed $1,000.

State guidance puts the county action in a wider context. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources says burn restrictions are used to reduce human-caused wildfires during hot, dry weather, and the Washington State Department of Ecology says local clean air agencies, Tribes and Ecology can restrict indoor and outdoor burning under certain conditions. Island County has previously shifted between burn-ban levels as weather and fuel-moisture conditions changed, and officials are now choosing to act before July Fourth rather than waiting deeper into fire season.