8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 4 cities in Snohomish County, Washington.
Verified from official government sources
Fire pits, fire bowls, and chimineas are allowed in unincorporated Snohomish County as recreational fires. Fires must not exceed three feet in diameter or two feet in height, may burn only charcoal, dried firewood, or manufactured firelogs, and must be attended and extinguished.
PSCAA Recreational Fire Regulations (WAC 173-425)
Keep it small. Fires must not exceed three feet in diameter or two feet in height. Fuel it right. Only charcoal, dried firewood or manufactured firelogs may be used. It is illegal to burn anything else.
In unincorporated Snohomish County, consumer fireworks may be discharged only from 9:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on July 4, and only outside designated 'no fireworks' areas. Southwest unincorporated county is a total ban zone. Novelties and sparklers are exempt.
SCC 30.53A.722
(2) Except as otherwise provided by law, no consumer fireworks shall be discharged except: (a) From 9:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on the 4th day of July of each year. (b) In areas not designated as a "no fireworks" area created under SCC 30.53A.728 and listed in SCC 30.53A.726. (c) Fireworks under the classification of novelty or sparklers.
Snohomish County has no single 'clear your brush' ordinance countywide, but the 2021 Washington Wildland-Urban Interface Code applies to new commercial and residential permits on parcels mapped high or very-high wildfire hazard, requiring ignition-resistant construction and driveway/access standards.
RCW 19.27.560(5)
All counties, cities, and towns issuing commercial and residential building permits for parcels in areas identified as high hazard and very high hazard on the map required by subsection (1) of this section or adopted according to subsection (4) of this section shall apply the code enumerated in subsections (1) or (2) of this section.
Land-clearing burning is permanently banned countywide. Residential yard-waste burning (pile no larger than 4x4x3 feet) is allowed only outside Urban Growth Areas and no-burn zones with a $30.90 permit from the Snohomish County Fire Marshal or your fire district. Trash and burn barrels are always illegal.
Snohomish County Fire Marshal burn rules; WAC 173-425-040(5)
Since 2008, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has maintained a permanent ban on land clearing burning in Snohomish, Kitsap, King, and Pierce counties in accordance with WAC 173-425-040(5). ... Residential burning, a burn pile no larger than 4 feet by 4 feet by 3 feet, requires a permit under our burn permit ordinance.
Washington's Wildland-Urban Interface Code applies to parcels mapped high or very-high wildfire hazard. On those parcels, new construction requires class-1 ignition-resistant roofs, exterior walls, and decks, plus driveway access standards. The rules took statewide effect July 1, 2023 under RCW 19.27.560.
RCW 19.27.560(1)(a)
The following parts of class 1 ignition-resistant construction: (i)(A) Roof covering - Roofs shall have a roof assembly that complies with class A rating when testing in accordance with American society for testing materials E 108 or underwriters laboratories 790.
Washington law requires smoke detection devices inside all dwelling units. Owners must install them; tenants must maintain them and replace batteries. Any dwelling sold on or after July 1, 2019 must have at least one working smoke alarm before a buyer occupies it.
RCW 43.44.110
(1) Smoke detection devices shall be installed inside all dwelling units: (a) Occupied by persons other than the owner on and after December 31, 1981; (b) Built or manufactured in this state after December 31, 1980; or (c) Sold on or after July 1, 2019.
Backyard campfires, cooking fires, and bonfires burning charcoal or bare untreated wood are allowed on private property in unincorporated Snohomish County as recreational fires, provided they stay under three feet in diameter and two feet high, are attended, and are not during a burn ban.
PSCAA Recreational Fire definition (WAC 173-425)
Recreational fires are defined as cooking fires, charcoal barbecues, campfires, and bonfires using charcoal or bare untreated wood in designated areas or on private property for cooking, pleasure or ceremonial purposes. ... They are allowed in both urbanized and unincorporated areas.
Snohomish County has adopted the 2018 International Fire Code (SCC 30.53A.010), which governs liquefied-petroleum (propane) gas storage, container sizes, and installation. Small residential grill and heater cylinders are exempt from permits, but larger LP-gas storage requires code compliance and, above thresholds, a fire-code permit.
SCC 30.53A.010
The 2018 edition of the International Fire Code (IFC), except chapter 1, published by the International Code Council, as amended by the Washington State Building Code Council in chapter 19.27 RCW is adopted and as otherwise expressly amended by this chapter, and is incorporated and made a part of this chapter by reference.
4 cities in Snohomish County have their own fire regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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