Chelan County, WA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Chelan 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
- Stage 1 starts
- June 1 (Valley Zone)
- Land-clearing/yard debris burning
- prohibited outright, no exception
- Stage 2 starts
- around July 1
- Restrictions end
- October 1 unless revised
- Penalty
- misdemeanor, up to $1,000/90 days
Summary
Once a fire hazard area is declared, Section 7.52.040 bans all land clearing and yard-debris burning outright and prohibits any outdoor fire in unincorporated Chelan County starting June 1, tightening again around July 1 when even recreational campfires and charcoal briquettes are prohibited until the restrictions lift October 1.
(iii) All land clearing and burning of yard debris is prohibited. (iv) Restricted Outdoor Fires. No person shall build, ignite, or maintain any outdoor fire of any kind or character. ... (B) Beginning July 1st, unless modified at the discretion of the BOCC depending on hazard conditions in the Mountain and Valley Zone. (i) Restricted Outdoor Fires. No person shall build, ignite, or maintain any outdoor fire of any kind or character. (ii) All recreational campfires are prohibited.
Full Breakdown
040(1)). In the first stage, beginning June 1 in the Valley Zone (or by July 1 in the Chelan Mountain Zone if seasonal drying requires it), the code prohibits all land clearing and burning of yard debris outright with no listed exception, bans exploding targets and incendiary ammunition, and imposes a general "restricted outdoor fires" rule barring any person from building, igniting, or maintaining an outdoor fire of any kind, subject only to the narrow exception for a compliant, designated campfire area. In the second stage, beginning around July 1 in both zones, the restricted-outdoor-fires ban is reiterated, all recreational campfires (including those in compliant pits) become prohibited, the use of charcoal briquettes is prohibited, and target shooting is barred outside of gun ranges while hunting in open areas remains permitted. 020. 060.
Violations & Fines
Violating any part of the fire hazard chapter, including the land-clearing and yard-debris burning ban or a restricted outdoor fire, is a misdemeanor under Section 7.52.080, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and/or 90 days in jail. The violator is also liable for the county's cost of fighting any resulting fire, collectible as a civil debt, and a court may order restitution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn yard debris or brush piles in unincorporated Chelan County?
When does the outdoor burning ban start and end each year?
What's the penalty for an illegal outdoor fire during burn season?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chelan County
How Chelan County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Chelan County to another location·View the Washington fire regulations overview
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