Bellingham, WA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Three layers of authority regulate outdoor burning in Bellingham: (1) the Washington Clean Air Act and Department of Ecology's rule at WAC 173-425 (Outdoor Burning), which prohibits residential land-clearing and yard-debris burning inside any urban growth area; (2) the Northwest Clean Air Agency (NWCAA) as the regional clean-air authority for Whatcom, Skagit, and Island Counties, which enforces WAC 173-425 and calls Stage 1 and Stage 2 burn bans based on air-quality conditions; and (3) the 2021 Washington State Fire Code adopted at BMC Chapter 17.20, which sets recreational-fire safety standards. NWCAA's published rules state that outdoor burning is permanently prohibited in all cities, towns, and urban growth areas in Whatcom County, expressly including Bellingham, Birch Bay, Blaine, Cherry Point, Columbia Valley, Everson, Ferndale, Lynden, Nooksack, and Sumas. Inside Bellingham, Washington state law prohibits all yard debris fires and land-clearing fires within city limits, the Urban Growth Area, and Whatcom County Fire District 8. Recreational burning is the only outdoor burning allowed inside Bellingham, and only when no more restrictive burn ban is in effect; permitted recreational fires must use seasoned firewood or charcoal only (no garbage, yard debris, or construction/demolition materials), have a total fuel area no larger than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height, be at least 25 feet from any structure or combustible material, be attended at all times, and be fully extinguished before leaving. Outside the permanent-ban areas, residential fires of yard and garden debris require an NWCAA permit - written permits for fires over 4 feet in diameter and verbal permits for fires under 4 feet in diameter. Recreational fires larger than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet high also require a permit. The Whatcom County Burn Information Line at 360-778-5903 issues verbal burn permits and burn-stage updates.