There is no such thing as a National Burn Permit! But a nation-wide scam offers just that – national burn permits – for sale.
The fraudulent website asks folks to provide a host of personal information and then requires a $19 fee to complete the “burn permit” process.
The fraudulent site is hosted outside the United States and was first reported by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The Georgia DNR turned the investigation of the fraudulent site over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI). According to the GBI, the site claims to be able to issue permits for any specific state as well as national permits. The GBA reports that the group behind this fraudulent site is the same group that created a fake national fishing/hunting license site a few years ago.
For residents of ORCAA’s six counties, it is important to remember that the only valid outdoor burning permits – residential, land clearing, silvicultural, or agricultural – are issued by ORCAA, local fire districts, or the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Exactly which of those agencies issues the permit depends on the type of fire being permitted and the geographic location of the fire.
Anyone with questions about residential, agricultural, or land-clearing burn permits should contact ORCAA, www.www.orcaa.org. Questions concerning silvicultural burns should be addressed to Washington DNR, https://www.dnr.wa.gov/OutdoorBurning
