Burn bans in Washington
In Washington, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) sets burn restrictions by Fire Danger Rating Area (FDRA) rather than by county. Each FDRA carries its own burn-ban level, and a single county often spans several of them. Counties, fire districts and the Department of Ecology run their own separate systems on top.
A DNR burn ban covers state forests, state parks and private forestlands that DNR protects. Counties, fire districts and the Department of Ecology set their own rules for everything else.
23 FDRAs cover Washington's 39 counties, and 28 of those counties fall across more than one. Where a county spans several FDRAs, we show the most restrictive one, and list every area below with its own level.
1 Red Flag Warning active. A Warning means critical fire weather is occurring or imminent; a Watch means it is possible. Neither is a burn ban.
Every Fire Danger Rating Area in Washington
This is the level Washington DNR — Burn Bans layer actually publishes. Each area's wording below is the agency's own.
| FDRA | Status | Level published | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Mountain Grass and Brush FDRA DNR SOUTHEAST Region · (509) 925-8510 | Burn Ban in Effect | Rule Permit and Recreation burns are banned | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Central Lowlands FDRA DNR SOUTH PUGET SOUND Region · (360) 825-1631 | Partial Restrictions | Rule Burns are banned | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Central WA Cascades FDRA DNR SOUTH PUGET SOUND Region · (360) 825-1631 | Partial Restrictions | Rule Burns are banned | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Chelan FDRA DNR SOUTHEAST Region · (509) 925-8510 | Burn Ban in Effect | Rule Permit and Recreation burns are banned | Jul 23, 2026 |
| Coast FDRA DNR OLYMPIC Region · (360) 374-2800 | Partial Restrictions | Rule Burns are banned | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Foothills FDRA DNR NORTHEAST Region · (509) 684-7474 | Partial Restrictions | Other combination described | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Gorge West FDRA DNR PACIFIC CASCADE Region · (360) 577-2025 | Partial Restrictions | Rule Burns are banned | Jul 16, 2026 |
| Highlands FDRA DNR NORTHEAST Region · (509) 684-7474 | Partial Restrictions | Other combination described | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Kaniksu FDRA DNR NORTHEAST Region · (509) 684-7474 | Partial Restrictions | Other combination described | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Lower Basin FDRA DNR SOUTHEAST Region · (509) 925-8510 | Burn Ban in Effect | Rule Permit and Recreation burns are banned | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Lower Yakima FDRA DNR SOUTHEAST Region · (509) 925-8510 | Burn Ban in Effect | Rule Permit and Recreation burns are banned | Jul 23, 2026 |
| Methow FDRA DNR NORTHEAST Region · (509) 684-7474 | Partial Restrictions | Other combination described | Jul 17, 2026 |
| North Cascade FDRA DNR NORTHWEST Region · (360) 856-3500 | Partial Restrictions | Rule Burns are banned | Jun 19, 2026 |
| North Lowlands FDRA DNR NORTHWEST Region · (360) 856-3500 | Partial Restrictions | Rule Burns are banned | Jul 16, 2026 |
| Northern Blue Mountains FDRA DNR SOUTHEAST Region · (509) 925-8510 | Burn Ban in Effect | Rule Permit and Recreation burns are banned | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Olympics FDRA DNR OLYMPIC Region · (360) 374-2800 | Partial Restrictions | Other combination described | — |
| South Lowlands FDRA DNR PACIFIC CASCADE Region · (360) 577-2025 | Partial Restrictions | Rule Burns are banned | Jul 16, 2026 |
| South WA Cascades FDRA DNR PACIFIC CASCADE Region · (360) 577-2025 | Partial Restrictions | Rule Burns are banned | Jun 16, 2026 |
| Upper Basin FDRA DNR NORTHEAST Region · (509) 684-7474 | Partial Restrictions | Other combination described | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Upper White Salmon FDRA DNR SOUTHEAST Region · (509) 925-8510 | No Restrictions | No Burn Bans in effect | Jun 16, 2026 |
| Upper Yakima FDRA DNR SOUTHEAST Region · (509) 925-8510 | Burn Ban in Effect | Rule Permit and Recreation burns are banned | Jul 23, 2026 |
| Valley FDRA DNR SOUTHEAST Region · (509) 925-8510 | Partial Restrictions | Other combination described | — |
| Vancouver FDRA DNR PACIFIC CASCADE Region · (360) 577-2025 | Partial Restrictions | Rule Burns are banned | Jul 16, 2026 |
All counties in Washington
A county's status is the most restrictive of the FDRAs covering it. Open a county to see each area separately.
| county | Status | FDRAs covering it | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | Burn Ban in Effect | Lower Basin FDRA, Upper Basin FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Asotin | Burn Ban in Effect | Upper Basin FDRA, Blue Mountain Grass and Brush FDRA, Northern Blue Mountains FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Benton | Burn Ban in Effect | Lower Basin FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Chelan | Burn Ban in Effect | Chelan FDRA, Valley FDRA | Jul 23, 2026 |
| Columbia | Burn Ban in Effect | Upper Basin FDRA, Northern Blue Mountains FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Franklin | Burn Ban in Effect | Lower Basin FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Garfield | Burn Ban in Effect | Upper Basin FDRA, Northern Blue Mountains FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Grant | Burn Ban in Effect | Lower Basin FDRA, Upper Basin FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Kittitas | Burn Ban in Effect | Upper Yakima FDRA, Lower Basin FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Klickitat | Burn Ban in Effect | Lower Basin FDRA, Lower Yakima FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Skamania | Burn Ban in Effect | South WA Cascades FDRA, Gorge West FDRA, Upper White Salmon FDRA, Vancouver FDRA, Lower Yakima FDRA | Jul 23, 2026 |
| Walla Walla | Burn Ban in Effect | Lower Basin FDRA, Northern Blue Mountains FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Yakima | Burn Ban in Effect | Lower Basin FDRA, Upper Yakima FDRA, Lower Yakima FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Clallam | Partial Restrictions | Olympics FDRA, Coast FDRA, Central Lowlands FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Clark | Partial Restrictions | Vancouver FDRA, Gorge West FDRA | Jul 16, 2026 |
| Cowlitz | Partial Restrictions | South Lowlands FDRA, South WA Cascades FDRA | Jul 16, 2026 |
| Douglas | Partial Restrictions | Upper Basin FDRA, Valley FDRA | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Ferry | Partial Restrictions | Highlands FDRA | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Grays Harbor | Partial Restrictions | Coast FDRA, Olympics FDRA, Central Lowlands FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Island | Partial Restrictions | North Lowlands FDRA | Jul 16, 2026 |
| Jefferson | Partial Restrictions | Olympics FDRA, Coast FDRA, Central Lowlands FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| King | Partial Restrictions | Central Lowlands FDRA, Central WA Cascades FDRA, North Cascade FDRA | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Kitsap | Partial Restrictions | Central Lowlands FDRA | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Lewis | Partial Restrictions | South Lowlands FDRA, South WA Cascades FDRA, Coast FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Lincoln | Partial Restrictions | Upper Basin FDRA | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Mason | Partial Restrictions | Central Lowlands FDRA, Olympics FDRA | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Okanogan | Partial Restrictions | Methow FDRA, Highlands FDRA, Valley FDRA | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Pacific | Partial Restrictions | Coast FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Pend Oreille | Partial Restrictions | Kaniksu FDRA, Foothills FDRA | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Pierce | Partial Restrictions | Central Lowlands FDRA, South WA Cascades FDRA, Central WA Cascades FDRA | Jul 17, 2026 |
| San Juan | Partial Restrictions | North Lowlands FDRA | Jul 16, 2026 |
| Skagit | Partial Restrictions | North Cascade FDRA, North Lowlands FDRA, Methow FDRA | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Snohomish | Partial Restrictions | North Cascade FDRA, North Lowlands FDRA | Jul 16, 2026 |
| Spokane | Partial Restrictions | Upper Basin FDRA, Foothills FDRA | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Stevens | Partial Restrictions | Foothills FDRA, Highlands FDRA, Kaniksu FDRA | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Thurston | Partial Restrictions | Central Lowlands FDRA | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Wahkiakum | Partial Restrictions | Coast FDRA | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Whatcom | Partial Restrictions | North Cascade FDRA, North Lowlands FDRA, Methow FDRA | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Whitman | Partial Restrictions | Upper Basin FDRA | Jul 17, 2026 |
Three separate systems decide whether you can burn in Washington
1. DNR burn bans — what this page tracks
DNR issues burn bans by Fire Danger Rating Area for the land it protects: state forests, state parks and private forestlands under DNR protection. This is the layer we read, and every level below comes from it unchanged.
2. County and fire-district rules
Your county and your local fire district set their own outdoor burning rules, and they are free to go further than DNR. DNR's own notices say to check locally as well. Call your fire district before you burn.
3. Air-quality burn bans
The Department of Ecology and regional Clean Air Agencies call separate burn bans based on air quality rather than fire risk. These run on their own schedule and can apply on a day when fire-danger restrictions are relaxed.
How Washington decides
- Washington has 39 counties and 23 Fire Danger Rating Areas. The FDRA, not the county, is the unit DNR regulates.
- Most counties overlap more than one FDRA, so two addresses in the same county can fall under different rules.
- DNR restrictions apply to DNR-protected land. Your county, your fire district and the Department of Ecology each run separate systems.
- DNR publishes an effective date with each restriction — we show it on every area below.
Penalties in Washington
Fireworks and incendiary devices — exploding targets, sky lanterns, tracer ammunition — are illegal on all DNR-protected lands under RCW 76.04.455. Anyone who starts a wildfire can also be billed for the cost of suppression and held liable for property damage.
Classification: — · Maximum fine: —
Common questions about Washington burn bans
Is there a burn ban in Washington right now?
Yes — 13 counties in Washington are currently under a burn ban. The county table above lists each one with its effective date and source.
How does Washington issue a burn ban?
In Washington, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) sets burn restrictions by Fire Danger Rating Area (FDRA) rather than by county. Each FDRA carries its own burn-ban level, and a single county often spans several of them. Counties, fire districts and the Department of Ecology run their own separate systems on top.
How long does a burn ban last in Washington?
Washington's statutory rule applies during a fixed calendar window each year. Governor emergency orders can extend or expand restrictions and are reflected here within one business day of publication.
What are the penalties for violating a burn ban in Washington?
Fireworks and incendiary devices — exploding targets, sky lanterns, tracer ammunition — are illegal on all DNR-protected lands under RCW 76.04.455. Anyone who starts a wildfire can also be billed for the cost of suppression and held liable for property damage.
burnbanradar reports the counties-level orders as published by Washington DNR — Burn Bans layer. Municipal ordinances may impose stricter rules. When Washington DNR — Burn Bans layer does not list a county, that does not mean no ban exists — verify with the county office. The published order governs.