The Northwest Clean Air Agency, under the Washington Clean Air Act and the state outdoor burning and agricultural burning rules, is responsible for regulating outdoor and agricultural burning in our jurisdiction.
Although recycling, waste reduction and more environmentally sound disposal methods have reduced outdoor burning, this practice continues to be a frequent public nuisance complaint the Northwest Clean Air Agency receives.
Many people use outdoor burning as a way to dispose of unwanted materials and yard waste without understanding its risks. Breathing any type of smoke can significantly harm health, particularly among children and people with asthma, heart disease or other respiratory illnesses. Choose an alternative to outdoor burning to protect your health. And never burn garbage — it’s illegal in Washington.
Some farmers use agricultural burning to clear fields after a harvest and control pests. Permits are required for agricultural burning, but we encourage farmers to seek alternatives to burning to reduce air pollution that can harm people’s safety and health from breathing smoke-filled air.
For more information, see our Outdoor Burning Information booklet.