County Issues Burn Ban as Dry Conditions Persist

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Lewis County has issued a burn ban on its unincorporated areas, citing heat and dry weather as fire danger concerns.

“We’ve had our inspectors taking moisture readings for the past few weeks, and it’s pretty darn dry out there now,” said Graham Gowing with the Lewis County Community Development Department.

The burn restriction invalidates all previously issued burn permits, but it allows for recreational fires on private and campground land — provided they meet certain criteria. Fires must not be wider than three feet in diameter, and they need to be contained in a ring at least eight inches tall. The county has also issued guidelines for clearing the area around the fire, attending to it and extinguishing it.

The restriction was passed unanimously Monday by county commissioners and was applied retroactively to July 1. 

“When you have burn piles or anything like that, especially with ground that’s been stumped, they’ll burn for a long period of time,” said Commissioner Gary Stamper. 

Gowing also urged residents to be careful with fireworks, though the county ban has no effect on their usage. A 10-acre fire near Glenoma in late June was sparked by fireworks, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. 

The burn restrictions will remain in effect until lifted by the commissioners. The National Weather Service is predicting high temperatures in the 70s and 80s throughout the week, with no rain in the forecast until a slight chance of showers Friday.

“We got under an inch of rain in May and under an inch in June, and that’s dried things out,” said Art Gaebel, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service based in Seattle. “Our spring was unusually dry, so that would obviously be a concern.”

While the pyrotechnics associated with the holiday remain a fire worry, Gaebel said Independence Day revelers will at least enjoy favorable weather, with a high of 82 degrees. 

“You’ll see plenty of sun that day,” he said.