Kittitas County Imposes Temporary Burn Ban, Citing Dry Conditions

A burn ban is in effect for the entirety of Kittitas County. The ban took effect shortly after midnight local time.

This comes on the heels of a "lower county burn ban" imposed last Tuesday. The following information was plucked from a Facebook memorandum issued by the Kittitas County Sheriff.

With this decree, authorities are trying to kibosh open burning, which the county defines as "ignition and subsequent outdoor burning of any combustible material."

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Things like paper waste and garden/yard debris are extremely flammable. (By "yard debris," the county means branches, grass clippings, leaves, twigs and so on.) Folks in Kittitas County are prohibited from setting fire to these materials - at least for today.

Why now? Because conditions in the county are unusually arid. This great magnifies the risk of fires. According to the NOAA, "Fires spread in hot, dry, and windy conditions. Warmer temperatures and lower relative humidity make the fuels more receptive to ignition." (Click here to access the Hot-Dry-Windy Index, which is continually updated.)

Thankfully for grillers and barbeque aficionados, the county is leaving them to their own devices. The burn ban does not preclude anyone from firing up a charcoal briquette grill or smoker. Use of profane and gas stoves is also allowed.

As for campfires, they are allowed "only in designated and approved campgrounds."

"Please use extreme caution when disposing of burnt charcoal and make sure campfires are completely extinguished before leaving them unattended," the county warns.

The Kittitas County Fire Marshal's Office, located in Ellensburg, can be reached at 509-962-7000.