Outdoor burning rules in Pasco, 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.
Open outdoor burning of yard debris, land-clearing material, and garbage has been substantially banned inside Pasco's Urban Growth Area since December 31, 2000. The traditional metal burn barrel is illegal throughout Washington. Limited exceptions exist for windblown tumbleweeds on designated burn days, and agricultural burning in Franklin County is permitted only by the Washington Department of Ecology.
Outdoor burning in Pasco is governed by Pasco Municipal Code Chapter 16.65 (which adopts the International Fire Code) and by Washington's outdoor-burning rules in WAC Chapter 173-425. The City states that outdoor burning has been 'substantially banned within the UGA,' meaning there are no general residential burn days inside Pasco's Urban Growth Area, and that 'the use of the traditional metal burn barrel is illegal throughout Washington State.' The City's burn regulations identify prohibited materials including garbage, dead animals, asphalt, petroleum products, paints, rubber, plastics, paper beyond what is needed to start a fire, cardboard, treated wood, construction debris, and metal. Burning construction debris is also barred by state law under WAC 173-425. A narrow exception exists for windblown tumbleweeds that have collected on a property: on a designated burn day, such fires must be at least 50 feet from structures, attended by a responsible person at all times, and screened with a spark arrester of iron or heavy wire mesh with openings no larger than one-half inch; actively growing tumbleweeds may not be burned. Importantly, Pasco is in Franklin County, which is NOT served by the Benton Clean Air Agency (that agency covers Benton County only). Agricultural and outdoor burning in Franklin County falls under the Washington State Department of Ecology, which makes the daily burn/no-burn calls; Franklin County administers agricultural burn permits through the Franklin Conservation District. Always confirm with the Pasco Fire Department burn line at 509-545-3425.
Conducting prohibited open burning inside Pasco's Urban Growth Area, using an illegal burn barrel, or burning banned materials such as garbage, plastics, treated wood, or construction debris violates PMC Chapter 16.65 and Washington's WAC 173-425 outdoor-burning rules. The Pasco Fire Department can order any illegal fire extinguished and issue fire-code citations. Under state law, illegal outdoor burning can draw substantial civil penalties from the Department of Ecology, and agricultural burning without the required permit in Franklin County is separately enforceable. Even where a windblown-tumbleweed exception applies, failing to keep the 50-foot clearance, the spark arrester, or constant attendance voids the exception and exposes the burner to citation.
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