Burn ban remains in effect; officials warn of fines, criminal penalties
The Grant County Fire Marshal was called out to a burn pile of garbage that had been left unattended in Grant County. With this, the fire marshal's office asked that residents not do this, as the county is in an active burn ban and there are limited resources for more large costly wildfires in Washington.
COURTESY PHOTO/GRANT COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL
MOSES LAKE — Grant County residents are being reminded that a countywide burn ban remains in effect through the end of September as officials warn that violating the restriction could result in fines, criminal charges and, in some cases, jail time.
The reminder comes after county officials responded to a report of unattended burning, highlighting continued concerns about human-caused fires during what authorities describe as an exceptionally active wildfire season. Grant County Fire Marshals Office posted that Wednesday there was a pile of burning trash found unattended in the county.
“No, it’s not okay to leave an unattended pile of trash on fire and just walk away,” the fire marshal wrote in the statement. “Were surrounded by fires, there is smoke in the air. Do not do this.”
Fire Marshal Nathan Poplawski did not respond to further requests for comment prior to press time.
Grant County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman said the burn ban has been in place since June 1 due to elevated wildfire danger and ongoing fire activity across Washington.
"That means there's no outdoor burning allowed," Foreman said. "That burn ban is in place due to the high wildfire risk."
Foreman said fire officials are especially concerned because firefighting resources throughout the state are stretched thin as agencies continue responding to wildfires.
"Local resources are spread thin," he said. "That could be firefighting tactical resources or incident management resources. We're asking people to heed the burn ban and not create an emergency here that could cause more destruction."
Grant County has already experienced significant fire impacts this summer. Foreman noted that 10 structures were lost during the Railroad Fire last month, prompting officials to remain vigilant for additional fire starts.
"We are being very cautious and strategic about being ready for additional fires in Grant County until the fire season is completed," he said.
Violating the burn ban is a civil infraction. According to Foreman, a first offense carries a $150 fine, a second offense results in a $300 fine, and third and subsequent violations carry a $500 fine.
However, Foreman said the consequences can become much more severe if an illegal fire spreads or places people and property at risk.
"If you light a fire and then walk away from it, then it's not only a burn ban violation, but it can be a case of reckless burning," he said.
Under Washington law, a person could face second-degree reckless burning charges, a gross misdemeanor, if a fire recklessly places structures, vehicles, crops or timber at risk of destruction. Conviction can carry penalties of up to 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.
If a fire causes damage to buildings, vehicles, crops, timber or other property, a person could face first-degree reckless burning charges, a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Foreman said most people who violate burn restrictions do not intend to start a wildfire, but intent does not lessen the potential consequences.
"Most of the time, the person who's burning isn't intending to cause a wildfire or that leads to threatened homes, crops or livestock," he said. "But that's the way it ends up because they didn't obey the burn ban."
While Grant County continues to send assistance to other fire-stricken areas when requested, Foreman said local agencies always maintain coverage at home. Even so, resource-sharing can leave fewer assets immediately available if a new fire starts locally.
"We'll never leave Grant County uncovered," he said. "But it'll have a lesser amount of resources available to battle fires back home if it comes up."
With several weeks of fire season still ahead, officials are urging residents to avoid any outdoor burning and follow all restrictions.
"The risk is still high," Foreman said. "The risk of fire and losing property is still high, and the best way to not cause a wildfire is to not ignore the burn ban. Just comply with the burn ban. Don't burn anything outside."
Foreman said the restrictions exist to protect lives, property and emergency responders.
"It is there for the safety of the public," he said.
