Snohomish County, WA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Snohomish 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
- Land-clearing fires
- Permanently banned countywide
- Residential burn pile max
- 4 ft x 4 ft x 3 ft
- Permit fee
- $30.90 (renew $15.45/yr)
- Where allowed
- Outside UGA and no-burn zones
- Always illegal
- Trash and burn barrels
Summary
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.
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.
Full Breakdown
Since 2008 the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has maintained a permanent ban on land-clearing burning in Snohomish, King, Kitsap, and Pierce counties under WAC 173-425-040(5). Residential burning (leaves, clippings, prunings, and yard refuse in a pile no larger than 4 ft x 4 ft x 3 ft) requires a burn permit and is issued only for locations outside the Urban Growth Areas and outside established no-burn zones within a fire protection district. Permits cost $30.90, are valid one year, and renew for $15.45. Burning trash or using a burn barrel is always illegal. Call the burn-ban hotline (425-388-3508) before every burn.
Violations & Fines
Illegal outdoor fires typically incur fines starting at $1,000 plus the cost to reimburse the fire department's response. Burning during a fire-safety or air-quality burn ban is prohibited.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn yard waste in unincorporated Snohomish County?
Is burning to clear land for building allowed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Snohomish County
How Snohomish County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Snohomish County to another location·View the Washington fire regulations overview
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