Chapter 8.32
OUTDOOR BURNING
Sections:
8.32.030 Fire advisory board – Establishment.
8.32.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a minimum standard to safeguard life and limb, health, property, public welfare and public safety, and to enhance the air quality of Okanogan County by regulating and controlling the time, types of materials, and location of outdoor burning within the unincorporated areas of Okanogan County when a declared burn ban is in effect. (Ord. 2005-2 § I, 2005).
8.32.020 Definitions.
“Outdoor burning” means the combustion of material of any type in an open fire or in an outdoor container without providing for the control of combustion or the control of emissions from the combustion. Outdoor burning, for the purposes of this chapter, does not include controlled burns conducted under the authority of the relevant fire district or agency with jurisdiction. (Ord. 2005-2 § II, 2005).
8.32.030 Fire advisory board – Establishment.
A. The board of county commissioners shall appoint a fire advisory board which shall consist, at a minimum, of representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, State of Washington Department of Natural Resources, Okanogan County sheriff’s office, and Okanogan County fire districts. The fire advisory board may convene such meetings as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
B. The fire advisory board shall develop guidelines to utilize in making recommendations to the board of county commissioners for the designation of high fire danger areas and the prohibition of outdoor burning in unincorporated areas of Okanogan County. (Ord. 2005-2 § III, 2005).
8.32.040 Authority.
The board of county commissioners may, by resolution, declare a burn ban, prohibiting outdoor burning in all unincorporated areas of the county due to a severe weather event, severe drought or other hazardous conditions. At such time notice of the outdoor burning prohibition shall be made in the county’s legal newspaper. Additional notifications may be made through other newspapers, radio, or television. Notification shall be made in the same manner at such time outdoor burning prohibition is lifted. (Ord. 2005-2 § IV, 2005).
8.32.050 Penalty.
Burning by any person in violation of the board of county commissioners’ resolution prohibiting outdoor burning shall constitute a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 60 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in addition to reimbursement to the agency responsible for fire protection for any cost of extinguishing the burning debris. (Ord. 2005-2 § V, 2005).