Kittitas County, WA07/02/2021 – Current conditions mean the Sheriff’s Office will be enforcing county codes banning open burning and the ignition of fireworks, including on July 4.
Extremely dangerous fire conditions have led the Kittitas County Fire Marshall to declare a ban on all open burning in unincorporated Kittitas County. Because of the special hazards created by the current heat wave, the Fire Marshall has also banned all fireworks in all areas of the unincorporated county, including on July 4.

 Uncontrolled fires can very easily start in this heat and wind, with abundant dry fuel; and when it does start it grows at terrible speed—as we saw last weekend when two wildfires destroyed two residences along with numerous outbuildings and threatened many more structures and people. Because of the terrible risk to public safety, Sheriff’s Deputies will enforce the burn ban and the ban on fireworks.

 Violation of the county’s burn ban is:
  • a $250 civil infraction on the first offense
  • The second offense is a misdemeanor with a fine up to $1,000
Igniting fireworks in the county is a misdemeanor. Violators will be cited and required to appear in court where they will face a fine up to $1,000. The purpose of these county codes is to protect the public, not write tickets; but Deputies will ticket violators in support of that purpose. We ask the public to support our mission to keep people and property in Kittitas County safe by finding alternative ways to celebrate the weekend and the holiday.

We encourage anyone with questions to read the county codes, available on the website of the County Commisioners.The Burn ban is in section 15.08 and Fireworks law is in section 9.30. Anyone with questions is encouraged to contact the Fire Marshall or the Sheriff’s Office.

 Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us