Franklin County, WA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)
Key Facts
- Clearance from buildings
- 40 feet minimum
- Stack size cap
- 500 tons each
- Separation between stacks
- 40 feet (100 ft after 3 stacks)
- Right-of-way buffer
- No storage within 30 feet
- Covered storage exception
- 1,000 tons with 15-ft clearance
- Governing section
- Franklin County Code § 8.40.070
Summary
Franklin County's amended fire code sets exact clearance distances for storing hay, straw, and similar agricultural products near buildings and combustibles in unincorporated Franklin County. Franklin County Code § 8.40.070 requires a 40-foot cleared distance from structures, caps stack size at 500 tons, and bars storage within 30 feet of any right-of-way.
Section 3703.4 of the International Fire Code is amended as follows: ... (a)No person shall store hay, straw or similar agricultural products adjacent to buildings or other combustible material unless a cleared horizontal distance of forty (40) feet is maintained between such storage and combustible materials and buildings.(b)Storage shall be limited to 500 tons in each stack. A cleared space of 40 feet shall be maintained between such stacks of 500 tons or less, not more than three such 500-ton stacks or less shall be allowed in one area, without a cleared area of 100 feet between the stacking areas.(c)Storage of hay, straw or similar agricultural products within 30 feet of any public easement or right-of-way boundary is not permitted.
Full Breakdown
Franklin County adopted the 2021 International Fire Code as its fire code under Ordinance No. 070. The amendment requires a cleared horizontal distance of 40 feet between stored hay, straw, or similar agricultural products and any building or other combustible material. Stacks are capped at 500 tons each, with a 40-foot clear space required between stacks of 500 tons or less; no more than three such stacks are allowed in one storage area without a 100-foot clear separation between stacking areas. Storage within 30 feet of any public easement or right-of-way boundary is prohibited outright.
Dry, covered storage gets a different allowance: up to 1,000 tons if a 15-foot clear space is kept on the sides of the covered pile. Loose, chopped, baled, cubed, or pelleted hay storage is exempt from the tonnage cap entirely if it is protected by an approved water system delivering a continuous flow of 50 gallons per minute at 60 pounds of pressure through hose no longer than 150 feet and at least 1½ inches in diameter. 040.
Violations & Fines
A violation of the amended clearance standard in § 8.40.070, like any other provision of the Franklin County Fire Code, is a misdemeanor under § 8.40.100: up to a $1,000 fine, up to 90 days in jail, or both, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. Section 8.40.160 makes these local enforcement provisions control over any conflicting IFC penalty language, and the fire code official can issue a correction notice or file a criminal citation with Franklin County District Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 40-foot clearance apply to all farm storage in the county?
Can I stack more than 500 tons of hay in one pile?
Is there a way to store more hay without the tonnage cap?
How close to the road can I store hay bales?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Franklin County
Compare Franklin County to another location·View the Washington fire regulations overview
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