Island County, WA Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- BBQ exemption
- Propane or briquette grills exempt, both ban types
- Camp stoves
- Self-contained camp stoves also exempt
- Type I ban
- Stops open burning; allows permitted recreational fires
- Type II ban
- Also stops recreational fires and fireworks
- Who declares
- Island County Fire Marshal (Sheriff or designee)
Summary
Island County exempts barbeque grills that use propane or briquettes, along with self-contained camp stoves, from both levels of its outdoor burn ban. Under Island County Code Section 14.03B.020, that exemption holds whether the county's Fire Marshal has declared a Type I ban on open burning or a stricter Type II ban that also halts recreational fires and fireworks.
Burn Ban - Type I includes a ban on all outdoor burning in unincorporated Island County except for recreational fires that occur in designated areas or on private property with the owner's permission. Type I burn bans also do not apply to the use and discharge of consumer fireworks in compliance with chapter 9.08A or chapter 70.77 RCW. The use of barbeque grills using propane or briquettes, or self-contained camp stoves are exempt from Type I burn bans. ... Burn Ban - Type II includes a ban on all outdoor burning in unincorporated Island County including a ban on recreational fires that were otherwise exempt from a Type I burn ban and including a ban on the use and discharge of consumer fireworks, unless the use and discharge of such fireworks are authorized by a permit issued by the local fire official pursuant to chapter 9.08A. The use of barbeque grills using propane or briquettes, or self-contained camp stoves are exempt from Type II burn bans.
Full Breakdown
03B lets the Island County Fire Marshal, currently the Sheriff or a designee, proclaim a burn ban when dry or windy conditions raise fire-spread risk. 77 RCW; propane or briquette barbeque grills and self-contained camp stoves stay exempt throughout a Type I ban. 08A, but it carries the same barbeque and camp-stove exemption, and it cannot restrict fireworks more tightly than state law for at least a year after the county first folds fireworks into a Type II ban. 030 requires any burn ban to be issued in a signed, written order kept on file with the Fire Marshal and county auditor, stating the conditions behind it, the start and end dates, and the area of the county it covers. 090 runs through the Fire Marshal, code enforcement officials, and any law enforcement officer.
Violations & Fines
Outdoor burning that a proclaimed Type I or Type II ban prohibits, meaning any open fire that is not a propane or briquette barbeque grill or a self-contained camp stove, is enforced by the Island County Fire Marshal, code enforcement officials, and law enforcement officers as authorized under Section 14.03B.090, tied to the county's stated interest in Section 14.03B.010 of preventing the spread of fire during hazardous conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a propane grill during an Island County burn ban?
What is the difference between a Type I and Type II burn ban in Island County?
Who declares a burn ban in Island County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Island County
Compare Island County to another location·View the Washington outdoor cooking overview
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