Residential Yard-Waste Burn Permits

ORCAA encourages residents to seek reasonable alternatives to burning when feasible.

1. Curb-side pickup service for yard waste material exists throughout most of Thurston County. Contact Thurston County Solid Waste.
2. Composting turns your yard waste into a great soil additive, at NO COST.
3. Chipping woody materials create an effective ground cover that blocks weed growth and improves drainage.
4. Dropping off yard waste at composting facilities and transfer stations is easy and cost-effective

NO burning allowed within Thurston County cities or urban growth areas (UGAs). Residents of Thurston County may check to see if their address is within a city or Urban Growth Area (UGA) using the tools on the webpage: Quick Property Search Options | Thurston County (thurstoncountywa.gov)

Residents who do burn must remember that they may ONLY burn natural vegetation gathered on site. State law prohibits the burning of garbage and home-repair debris. State law prohibits the use of burn barrels of any kind anywhere in Washington.

By submitting the following Permit Request, the applicant agrees to abide by all the PERMIT REQUIREMENTS:

1. Only Natural Vegetation grown on the permit site may be burned.
2. Burning may occur only during daylight hours.
3. When winds exceed 5 miles per hour (mph), fires shall not be ignited. If winds exceed 10 mph, ALL fires must be extinguished.
4. Burn pile size must not exceed 10 feet in width, or 5 feet in height.
5. A copy of this permit must be available at the site while burning  – a digital copy of the emailed permit is acceptable in lieu of a printed copy.
6. The burn pile must be at least 50 feet from any structure or standing timber, 10 feet from property lines, and at least 500 feet from forest/land clearing debris piles.
7. Fires must be attended until completely out meaning, NO FLAME, NO SMOKE REMAINING.
8. Only one residential outdoor fire may be burned at a time on a property.
9. A shovel and water-charged hose shall be on-site and immediately available. A minimum of two 5-gallon buckets FULL of water may substitute for a water-charged hose.
10. This permit is not valid during burn bans. Contact ORCAA BEFORE IGNITING YOUR PILE to get the latest details on burn conditions: www.orcaa.org.
11. Fires must be immediately extinguished if it causes a nuisance to others or poses a threat to people or property.
12. The applicant is responsible for ensuring compliance with all local, state, and federal laws while burning, pursuant to this permit.

PENALTIES may be assessed for violations of these permit rules as well as for violations of local, state, and federal regulations. In addition, the fire district may recover costs incurred during a response, control, or suppression of an unlawful or out-of-control fire. The property owner or person doing the burning assumes responsibility for any damage, by emission or flame, to any structure, utility line or pole, tree or shrub, fence, road or right-of-way, or other public or private edifices. The applicant accepts responsibility for any claimed adverse effects on the health or well-being of any person or persons in the path of the fire emissions. Burning garbage or any prohibited materials may result in substantial fines from ORCAA (maximum allowable fine: $14,915).

ORCAA encourages residents to seek reasonable alternatives to burning when feasible.

1. Curb-side pickup service for yard waste material exists for much of Grays Harbor County. Contact Grays Harbor County Solid Waste.
2. Composting turns your yard waste into a great soil additive, at NO COST.
3. Chipping woody materials create an effective ground cover that blocks weed growth and improves drainage.
4. Dropping off yard waste at composting facilities and transfer stations is easy and cost-effective

Residents who do burn must remember that they may ONLY burn natural vegetation gathered on site. State law prohibits the burning of garbage and home-repair debris. State law prohibits the use of burn barrels of any kind anywhere in Washington.

By submitting the following Permit Request, the applicant agrees to abide by all the PERMIT REQUIREMENTS:

1. Only Natural Vegetation grown on the permit site may be burned.
2. Burning may occur only during daylight hours.
3. When winds exceed 5 miles per hour (mph), fires shall not be ignited. If winds exceed 10 mph, ALL fires must be extinguished.
4. Burn pile size must not exceed 4 feet in width or 4 feet in height.
5. A copy of this permit must be available at the site while burning  – a digital copy of the emailed permit is acceptable in lieu of a printed copy.
6. The burn pile must be at least 50 feet from any structure or standing timber, 10 feet from property lines, and at least 500 feet from forest/land clearing debris piles, EXCEPT:
   1. Not less than 25 feet when pile size is 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height.
7. Fires must be attended until completely out meaning, NO FLAME, NO SMOKE REMAINING.
8. Only one residential outdoor fire may be burned at a time on a property.
9. A shovel and water-charged hose shall be on-site and immediately available. A minimum of two 5-gallon buckets FULL of water may substitute for a water-charged hose.
10. This permit is not valid during burn bans. Contact ORCAA BEFORE IGNITING YOUR PILE to get the latest details on burn conditions: www.orcaa.org.
11. Fires must be immediately extinguished if it causes a nuisance to others or poses a threat to people or property.
12. The applicant is responsible for ensuring compliance with all local, state, and federal laws while burning, pursuant to this permit.

PENALTIES may be assessed for violations of these permit rules as well as for violations of local, state, and federal regulations. In addition, the fire district may recover costs incurred during the response, control, or suppression of an unlawful or out-of-control fire. The property owner or person doing the burning assumes responsibility for any damage, by emission or flame, to any structure, utility line or pole, tree or shrub, fence, road or right-of-way, or other public or private edifices. The applicant accepts responsibility for any claimed adverse effects on the health or well-being of any person or persons in the path of the fire emissions. Burning garbage or any prohibited materials may result in substantial fines from ORCAA (maximum allowable fine: $14,915).