NEWS RELEASE
June 28, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Dan A. Nelson, ORCAA Public Information Officer, Ext. 111
Residential Burn Closure Effective July 15 in Thurston County
OLYMPIA - Residents of Thurston County who have yard waste to dispose of should look into clean alternatives to burning.
Alternatives such as chipping and composting help keep our air clean and healthful. Those alternatives can also be used all summer, unlike burning. Once again, outdoor burning of residential yard waste in Thurston County is prohibited July 15 through October 15.
This seasonal prohibition, crafted jointly by local fire agencies and Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA), has been in effect for four years. All outdoor burning is prohibited at all times year-round within the cities of Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater, as well as within the boundaries of those cities' urban growth areas (UGAs).
The restrictions on outdoor burning during the summer and early autumn has resulted in a significant drop in brush fires and property damage each of the past couple years, according to fire officials. From an air quality perspective, the warm, dry days of summer are good for burning since there is greater venting occurring in the atmosphere, helping to dissipate the smoke from fires. Despite that, however, ORCAA supports the restrictions because of safety considerations.
"Conditions that help improve air quality aren't necessarily conducive to safety," said Dan Nelson, spokesman for ORCAA. "And the conditions that help make it safe to burn-when its cool and wet, for instance-tend to create poor air quality since the smoke is trapped close to the ground."
For more information on the outdoor burning rules throughout ORCAA's jurisdiction, visit http://www.orcaa.org/residential.html
* * *The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency protects and enhances air quality for citizens in Thurston, Mason, Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, and Pacific counties by enforcing federal, state and local air quality regulations. If you have questions specific to the topic above, or just general questions about local air quality, contact ORCAA at (360) 586-1044 or 1-800-422-5623, or visit ORCAA's website, www.orcaa.org.