Recreational Fires Recreational fires under 3'x3'x2' are still allowed
in all of Cowlitz County without a permit. Only charcoal or seasoned firewood
(no lumber) may be used as fuel for a recreational fire. Recreational
fires must be used solely for recreational purposes and may not be used
for disposal of yard debris or any other material. Recreational fires
may not cause a smoke or odor nuisance to surrounding properties and may
be subject to seasonal fire safety burn bans.
Residential Burning (Outside
the no-burn boundaries) As of January 1, 2007 residential burning will
no longer be allowed in the urban growth areas of Castle Rock and Woodland.
Residential burning is already banned within the Longview/Kelso No
Burn Area. Outside of these areas, single piles under 4'x4'x3' do not
need a permit to burn during daylight hours (natural vegetation only).
For a list of general requirements or to determine if you are outside
of the no burn areas, call SWCAA at 1-800-633-0709.
Piles larger than 4'x4'x3' but smaller
than 10'x10'x6' outside the no burn areas need a written permit. These
free permits can be picked up at local fire stations, mailed to you by
calling SWCAA at 1-800-633-0709, or you can download a copy here in Adobe
PDF format.
Land Clearing Burning
(Outside the no-burn boundaries) Prior to January 1, 2007, land clearing burning
is only allowed outside the Longview/Kelso no burn area. As of January
1, 2007 land clearing burning will also be banned within the urban growth
areas of Castle Rock and Woodland, and all other high density areas.
Outside the no burn areas, burn piles larger
than 10'x10'x6' require a land clearing burn permit from SWCAA. The burn
permit application can be downloaded in PDF,
printed out and then mailed, faxed or hand-delivered to SWCAA. A site
visit is no longer required so a permit can be issued same day with a
visit to SWCAA's office in Vancouver. The permit fee of $100 must be paid
to SWCAA prior to issuance of the permit.
Fire
Safety Burn Bans An annual Fire Safety Burn Ban from July 15 through
September 30 prohibits residential and land clearing burning throughout
Cowlitz County to protect public safety. This Fire Safety Burn Ban may
extend beyond these dates by fire marshal recommendation. Outdoor burning
is prohibited within the permanent No Burn Areas year-round, regardless
of the Fire Safety Burn Ban. The pre-designated Fire Safety Burn Ban and
aggressive complaint and enforcement program are designed to promote clean
air, good health and reduced fire danger for everyone.
Agricultural Burning To qualify for agricultural burning inside the
no-burn boundaries you must have filed a "Schedule F" with your federal
income tax. Orchard prunings alone do not qualify for an agricultural
burn and other restrictions apply (WAC 173-430). Call SWCAA for detailed
information, forms and possible fees. For more information about this
program, click here.
Silvicultural Burning For all silvicultural/forest practice burning call
the Pacific Cascades Region of the Department of Natural Resources at
360-577-2025. There is a permit fee.
