Grant County bans outdoor fires for safety

EPHRATA — With high temperatures and little precipitation, the Grant County commissioners approved a burn ban.

The ban affects most outdoor burning in the county, except for Department of Ecology-approved agricultural burning, recreational fires in approved devices authorized by state and federal campgrounds, and barbecue grills.

Grant County Fire Marshal Dave Nelson said personnel leaving the area to fight fires in other areas and a series of wildfires in the county also influenced the decision.

“We’ve had several years with really low rainfall, which reduces the fuel load because you don’t get as much new growth,” he said. “This year, we’ve had a pretty good, rainy year that increased the growth of weeds and things, so we have a higher fuel load.”

The ban is usually left in place until the temperatures drop significantly and there is an increase in humidity, Nelson said.

“So that could be a week, sometimes they’ve lasted for a couple of months,” he said.

Commissioner Carolann Swartz said with the lightning storms likely to start fires, the county doesn’t want to deal with people starting fires.

“Things are pretty dry and hot out there,” she said. “This is temporary. We understand that the farmers need that ability to take care of brush and whatever else they burn on a regular basis, so this is not something that’s going to stay in effect for years.”

Residents living in cities and urban growth areas in the county are still under a Department of Ecology burn ban established in 2007. The state’s ban will not change after the county lifts its ban.

Grant County Emergency Management offered a few safety tips for county residents:

• Take yard debris to the county landfill or a recycling center;

• Use caution when mowing or working with other equipment that could create sparks;

• If a person spots a fire, a large column of smoke, they should call 9-1-1 immediately.