Outdoor burning prohibited

YAKIMA – A Stage 1 burn ban for Okanogan, Chelan, Douglas, Klickitat, Kittitas and Chelan, Okanogan counties was issued for on Monday, Dec. 1 by the Washington Department of Ecology. The ban will remain in place until further notice. Air is expected to remain cold and stagnant over the next few days.

All outdoor burning – including residential, agricultural and forest burning – is prohibited.

Under a Stage 1 ban the use of uncertified wood-burning devices – including fireplaces, wood stoves and inserts – is prohibited unless they are a home’s only adequate source of heat. Certified wood-burning devices and pellet stoves are allowed. Ecology recommends burning hot fires using only clean, dry wood.

By limiting burning and following restrictions when burn bans are called, residents can help improve air quality sooner.

Ecology’s burn bans do not apply on tribal reservations, where the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has jurisdiction.