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.
North Cascade FDRA
about 59% of the county (approximate)
· effective Oct 1, 2026
○No Restrictions
No Burn Bans in effect
Effective 10/1/2026 at 12:01 AM, Permitted Burns are AUTHORIZED subject to the permit conditions. Campfires, recreational fires, charcoal, and briquettes are AUTHORIZED. Liquid or propane camp stoves that do not utilize solid briquettes and possess on/off controls are AUTHORIZED. These restrictions and authorizations apply only to state forests, state parks and private forestlands protected by DNR within the FDRA. Check with your local fire district and county as additional restrictions may apply. Contact the Department of Ecology or local Clean Air Authority to check for applicable air-quality burn restrictions. Individual landowners and campgrounds may impose additional burn restrictions. Fireworks and incendiary devices, such as exploding targets, sky lanterns or tracer ammunition are illegal on all DNR protected lands (RCW 76.04.455).
about 30% of the county (approximate)
· effective Oct 1, 2026
○No Restrictions
No Burn Bans in effect
Effective 10/1/2026 at 12:01 AM, Permitted Burns are AUTHORIZED subject to the permit conditions. Campfires, recreational fires, charcoal, and briquettes are AUTHORIZED. Liquid or propane camp stoves that do not utilize solid briquettes and possess on/off controls are AUTHORIZED. These restrictions and authorizations apply only to state forests, state parks and private forestlands protected by DNR within the FDRA. Check with your local fire district and county as additional restrictions may apply. Contact the Department of Ecology or local Clean Air Authority to check for applicable air-quality burn restrictions. Individual landowners and campgrounds may impose additional burn restrictions. Fireworks and incendiary devices, such as exploding targets, sky lanterns or tracer ammunition are illegal on all DNR protected lands (RCW 76.04.455).
about 11% of the county (approximate)
· effective Oct 23, 2026
○No Restrictions
No Burn Bans in effect
Effective October 23, 2026, at 12:01am: Campfires are allowed on DNR-protected land in accordance with recreational fire rules; contact the county for information on recreation burning on improved property. Rule burns, not to exceed 10 feet in diameter, are allowed for forest debris from property that is not improved. If you have a written permit, burning is allowed subject to the conditions of your permit. Prior to any burning, check with your local fire district and county as additional restrictions may be in place. Contact Department of Ecology to check if an air-quality ban is in place for your area.
The wording in each area above is Washington DNR — Burn Bans layer's own, and it is the authority for
what you may burn on DNR-protected land. Two further systems apply on top:
Your county and fire district
They set their own outdoor burning rules and can go further than the state. Call your fire district before you burn.
Air-quality burn bans
The Department of Ecology and regional Clean Air Agencies call separate bans based on air quality. Those run on their own schedule.
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.
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Gear for burning safely
Open burning is currently permitted in Whatcom county, and the gear below helps keep a legal
fire contained: barrels and pits that hold embers in one place, plus something to put a fire out with.
Local rules on containment, distance and burn hours still apply — confirm those before you light.
Contained burn barrels
A lidded, spark-arrestor barrel keeps embers where you put them and makes a debris burn easier to control from start to finish.
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Limits of this information
burnbanradar reads public burn-ban orders as published by Washington DNR — Burn Bans layer and reports them unchanged.
Cities and municipalities within Whatcom county may impose stricter rules than the county order.
Water districts and state forestry rules may add further restrictions.
When an order is ambiguous or the source cannot be reached, we show Unconfirmed instead of guessing a status.
The county's own posted order governs.
Common questions
Is Whatcom county under a burn ban right now?
No burn ban is currently reported for Whatcom county. Municipal rules within the county may still restrict burning.
What can I still burn in Whatcom county?
Standard open burning is currently permitted, subject to any municipal ordinance in your area. Never leave a fire unattended, and keep water and a shovel nearby.
How do I report an illegal fire in Whatcom county?
Call 911 for any fire that is out of control or threatens property. For a non-emergency burn-ban violation, you can also reach Washington DNR Wildfire Hotline at 1-800-562-6010 (for wildfires on DNR-protected land; other jurisdictions may have separate numbers), or contact the Whatcom Sheriff's Office.
