Sammamish, WA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Sammamish, 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
- Ban origin
- Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, September 1992
- Exceptions
- Bonfires, recreational fires, portable fireplaces only
- Permit issuer
- Fire code official, landowner only may apply
- Cost recovery admin fee
- 15 percent of invoiced amount
- Enforcement code
- SMC Title 23 Civil Code Compliance
Summary
Open burning has been banned in Sammamish at all times since the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency's permanent 1992 ban, with only bonfires, recreational fires and portable outdoor fireplaces exempted, and even those can be shut down by a fire-danger or air-quality burn ban.
307.1.1 Prohibited open burning. Open burning shall be prohibited at all times in compliance with a permanent ban on open burning established by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency in September of 1992. Exceptions: 1. Bonfires. 2. Recreational Fires. 3. Portable outdoor fireplaces. 307.2 Permit required. A permit shall be obtained from the fire code official in accordance with Section 105.6 prior to conducting open burning...A permit is not required for a BBQ. 307.3 Bans on fires due to air quality or fire danger. If the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency issues a burn ban due to air quality, or if a fire safety burn ban is issued by the Eastside fire marshal or King County fire marshal all fires are prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance O2026-598, and legislation passed through August 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
130 adopts the 2021 International Fire Code and rewrites Section 307. 1 states that open burning is prohibited at all times in compliance with the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency's permanent ban established in September 1992, carving out only three exceptions: bonfires, recreational fires, and portable outdoor fireplaces. 2 requires the applicant to obtain approval from the fire code official before conducting the burn, and only the landowner may apply; a permit is specifically not required for a barbecue. 3 layers on a second control: whenever the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency issues an air-quality burn ban, or the Eastside fire marshal or King County fire marshal issues a fire-danger burn ban, all fires are prohibited outright, and the property owner bears responsibility for confirming no ban is in effect before igniting anything.
4 gives the fire code official extinguishment authority whenever a fire becomes hazardous or lacks a required permit, and Eastside Fire and Rescue can bill the responsible party for any suppression response.
Violations & Fines
Violating the open-burning ban or an active burn ban lets the fire code official order the fire extinguished on the spot. Enforcement runs through SMC Title 23, Civil Code Compliance; unlawful fires can also trigger cost-recovery billing for personnel (actual compensation plus an administrative fee) and emergency vehicle response per the Washington State Fire Chiefs Association fee schedule plus a 15 percent surcharge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is open burning legal in Sammamish?
Who enforces a burn ban in Sammamish?
Do I need a permit to burn on my property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sammamish
How Sammamish compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Sammamish to another location·View the Washington fire regulations overview
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Outdoor Burning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle outdoor burning.