Help/Assistance

For assistance information and materials please visit https://ecology.wa.gov/Regulations-Permits/Permits-certifications/Air-Quality-permits/Burn-permits.

Other sources of help, information, and references:

Special Burn Permit

Description/Purpose

The purpose of this permit is to allow burning in a way that protects human health and the environment. The special burn permit is used if your burning request does not qualify as either agricultural burning or land clearing. Even some residential burning can require a special permit.

Triggers and activities which would require this permit

This permit is for situations where burning does not fit into the categories of agricultural, residential, or land clearing.

A special burn permit is required to burn vegetation in areas larger than 4 x 4 x 3 feet, or that does not qualify as either:

  • Agricultural burning — burning of orchard trees, open fields, harvest debris.
  • Land clearing — burning of trees, stumps, shrubs, other natural vegetation from land clearing.
  • Any other special circumstances.

NOTE: Burning is not allowed inside of urban growth areas (UGAs), within city limits of cities with a population of 10,000 or more, or within an area having a general population density of 1,000 or more persons per square mile.

In Okanogan County, if you are removing an orchard and are not keeping the land in agriculture, contact Dan McCarthy, Okanogan County Pest Inspector at (509) 322-1286

When you receive your burn permit, you must do the following BEFORE you burn:

  • Call Ecology’s Daily Burn Decision Hotline at 1-800-406-5322 to make sure you are allowed to burn that day in your county or zone.
  • Notify your local fire protection authority.
  • Follow all permit conditions.
Explanation/Description of costs/fees, including statutory, regulatory, or other legal authority for fees

No fee.

Application Information

The application is called 'Special Burn Permit Application' is online and can be accessed at https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/summarypages/ecy07052.html.

See application for details.

When making the decision on your permit, the permitting authority will consider the applicable laws and rules, the contents of your application, and the background environmental conditions.

If Ecology issues the permit, see the application for details. If a local clean air agency issues the permit, see their application for details.

Permits are valid January 1st to June 30th and July 1st to December 31st. The expiration date is printed on the permit.

You have a right to appeal the permit to the Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB) within 30 days of the date of receipt of the permit. The appeal process is governed by Chapter 43.21B RCW and Chapter 371-08 WAC. “Date of receipt” is defined in RCW 43.21B.001(2).

Please contact the agency that issued your permit to discuss the decision on your permit.

Permit Timeliness Results

Permit Timeliness data collection is in response to a State Auditor’s Performance Audit and RCW 43.42A. Each regulatory agency developed a plan to improve permit clarity, predictability, and timeliness. Each agency considers the customers experience to ensure permit assistance is simple to use, easy to access, and designed in a customer-friendly manner. Agencies report progress to the Governor’s Office for Regulatory Innovation and Assistance (ORIA). ORIA prepares and distributes reports, with participation from the State Auditor’s Office and Results Washington. See latest report here: https://www.oria.wa.gov/ORIA-2020-PermitTimelinessProgressReport.pdf.

Estimated Time Required By the Agency to Process a Permit Application (Definition)
Average days from Receipt to Complete: 1
Maximum days from Receipt to Complete: 6

Estimated Time Required By the Agency to Issue a Permit Decision (Definition)
Average days from Complete Application to Decision: 1
Maximum days from Complete Application to Decision: 1


(Summary results based on 91 submittals in 2024)

Legal authority
Notes / Comments

Who issues this Permit?
Department of Ecology and local clean air agencies issue this permit. Check the application form for the counties where Ecology issues the permit. If your county is not listed, then contact your local clean air agencies.

Contacts
Department of Ecology
Air Quality Program
Headquarters
300 Desmond Drive
PO Box 47600
Olympia WA 98504-7600
Website: https://ecology.wa.gov/Regulations-Permits/Permits-certifications/Air-Quality-permits/Air-operating-permits
Telephone: (360) 407-6800
Fax: (360) 407-7534
Benton Clean Air Authority
Air Pollution Control Officer
114 Columbia Point Dr
Suite C
Richland WA 99352
Telephone: (509) 943-3396
Telephone: (509) 946-4489
Fax: (509) 943-2232
Olympic Region Clean Air Agency
Air Pollution Control Officer
2904 B Limited Lane NW
Olympia WA 98502
Website: http://www.orcaa.org/
Telephone: (360) 586-1044
Toll Free: 1-800-422-5623
Fax: (360) 491-6308
Southwest Clean Air Agency
Air Pollution Control Officer
11815 NE 99th St
Suite 1294
Vancouver WA 98682
Telephone: (360) 574-3058
Toll Free: 1-800-633-0709
Fax: (360) 576-0925
Northwest Clean Air Agency
Air Pollution Control Officer
1600 S Second St
Mount Vernon WA 98273
Telephone: (360) 428-1617
Toll Free: 1-800-622-4627
Fax: (360) 428-1620
Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
Headquarters
1904 Third Avenue, Suite 105
Seattle WA 98101-3317
Telephone: (206) 343-8800
Toll Free: 1-800-552-3565
Toll Free: 1-800-595-4341
Fax: (206) 343-7522
Telephone: (206) 689-4052
Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency
Air Quality Control Officer
3104 E. Augusta Avenue
Spokane WA 99207
Website: www.spokanecleanair.org
Telephone: (509) 477-4727
Telephone: (509) 477-4710
Fax: (509) 477-6828
Yakima Regional Clean Air Authority
Air Pollution Control Officer
329 N 1st Street
Yakima WA 98901
Telephone: (509) 834-2050
Fax: (509) 834-2060
Department of Ecology, Northwest Regional Office
Dawn Marie Maurer
3190 - 160th Avenue SE
Bellevue WA 98008-5453
Website: http://www.ecology.wa.gov/
Telephone: (425) 649-7000
Fax: (425) 649-7098
Department of Ecology, Central Regional Office
15 West Yakima Avenue, Suite #200
Yakima WA 98902-3452
Website: http://www.ecology.wa.gov/
Telephone: (509) 575-2490
Fax: (509) 575-2809
Department of Ecology, Eastern Regional Office
4601 N Monroe
Spokane WA 99205-1295
Website: http://www.ecology.wa.gov/
Telephone: (509) 329-3400
Fax: (509) 329-3529
* Credential details last updated 1/10/2023
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