Washington County, OR Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Washington County, OR, 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
- Ban scope
- Yard-debris open burning, single/multi-family
- Applies within
- Metro Service District boundary, unincorporated county
- Exception
- Hardship permit from Health & Human Services
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $500 fine per day
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Health and Human Services
Summary
No one may open-burn yard debris on single- or multi-family property in unincorporated Washington County's Metro-boundary area at any time of year unless the Department of Health and Human Services has issued a hardship permit: violators face a misdemeanor and up to a $500 fine.
No person shall at any time of the year cause or allow to be initiated any open burning of yard debris on single or multi-family property located in unincorporated areas of Washington County that are within the Metropolitan Service District Boundary, unless a hardship permit has been issued by the Washington County Department of Health and Human Services as described in Section 8.56.060.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Community Development Code: Supplement 2 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
060. K, burn barrels, incinerators, and open outdoor fires where combustion air isn't controlled and smoke isn't vented through a stack. C. 08) for repeat violations. 040 that curtails fireplaces and woodstoves on red-day air quality advisories.
Violations & Fines
Violating the open-burning ban is a misdemeanor punishable, upon conviction, by a fine of not more than $500 under Section 8.56.070.G, with each day of violation counted as a separate offense (8.56.070.H). Enforcement escalates from a notice of noncompliance to a citation under Chapter 1.08 for repeated violations observed by a county officer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn yard debris in unincorporated Washington County?
What's exempt from the burn ban?
What's the penalty for illegal open burning?
Who investigates a burning complaint?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
How Washington County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Washington County to another location·View the Oregon fire regulations overview
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