Yakima County, WA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Yakima County, WA, also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance, set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Key Facts
- Permit required for
- Burning on DNR-protected lands or forestland debris
- Issued by
- Washington Dept. of Natural Resources
- Max civil penalty
- $10,000 per day, RCW 70A.15.3160
- DNR authority
- Can suspend or revoke a permit for cause
- County burn-ban authority
- YCC 13.10.074, Fire Code official
Summary
On land the Washington Department of Natural Resources protects within Yakima County, from orchard slash to logging debris, a written burning permit from DNR is required before lighting fires, and burning without one, or breaking permit conditions, can draw a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per day.
(1) Except in certain areas designated by the department or as permitted under rules adopted by the department, a person shall have a valid written burning permit obtained from the department to burn: (a) Any flammable material on any lands under the protection of the department; or (b) Refuse or waste forest material on forestlands protected by the department. (2) To be valid a permit must be signed by both the department and the permittee. Conditions may be imposed in the permit for the protection of life, property, or air quality and the department may suspend or revoke the permits when conditions warrant. ... (4) The department, authorized employees thereof, or any warden or ranger may refuse, revoke, or postpone the use of permits to burn when necessary for the safety of adjacent property or when necessary in their judgment to prevent air pollution as provided in chapter 70A.15 RCW.
Full Breakdown
" A DNR permit is only valid once both DNR and the permittee sign it, and DNR can attach conditions protecting life, property or air quality, or suspend or revoke the permit outright when conditions warrant; signing means the permittee accepts those conditions. 15. DNR, its employees, or any warden or ranger can also refuse, revoke or postpone a permit whenever necessary for adjacent property safety or to prevent air pollution. 074 to declare a burn ban and prohibit open burning when atmospheric or local conditions make fires hazardous, with exceptions for authorized prescribed burning and listed outdoor cooking appliances.
Violations & Fines
Burning without a valid DNR permit, breaking permit conditions, or violating the state's silvicultural burning rules in RCW Chapter 70A.15 exposes a person to a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per day under RCW 70A.15.3160(1)(a), with each day a violation continues treated as a separate violation, enforced by the Department of Natural Resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to burn brush on my Yakima County property?
Who can revoke a Washington burning permit?
What is the penalty for illegal open burning in Washington?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yakima County
How Yakima County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Yakima County to another location·View the Washington fire regulations overview
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