Spokane County, WA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Spokane 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
- Yard-debris burning
- Banned for most residents
- Exception districts
- Fire Districts 2, 5, 11, 12
- Garbage burning
- Illegal statewide
- Burn barrels
- Banned statewide
- Stage 1 restriction
- All solid-fuel burning prohibited
Summary
Burning yard and garden debris is NOT allowed for most residents of Spokane County. Burning garbage and burn barrels are banned statewide. Only residents in a few delegated fire districts may burn natural debris, and never during a burn restriction.
Burning yard/garden debris is not allowed for most residents of Spokane County. Burning garbage anywhere in Washington has been prohibited for decades. The use of burn barrels is also banned statewide.
Full Breakdown
Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency (SRCAA) regulates outdoor burning. Residential yard/garden debris burning is prohibited in most of the county; only Fire Districts 2, 5, 11, and 12, which hold delegation agreements with SRCAA, may administer a limited residential burning program. Everywhere else, composting, mulching, curbside pickup, or hauling to a 'clean green' transfer station are the required alternatives. Statewide, burning garbage has been illegal for decades and burn barrels are banned outright (WAC 173-425 / RCW 70A.15). When SRCAA issues an air-quality Stage 1 restriction, all outdoor burning of solid fuel is prohibited countywide.
Violations & Fines
Illegal outdoor burning is enforced by SRCAA with civil penalties; burning during a DNR restriction can also bring a ticket, prosecution, or civil cost recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn leaves and yard debris in Spokane County?
Are burn barrels legal?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spokane County
How Spokane County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Spokane County to another location·View the Washington fire regulations overview
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