Central Kitsap Outdoor Burning Information and Burning Regulations

Please check the Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue burn information hotline 360.447.3555 to see if a burn ban is in place before you start to burn. As a reminder, when a fire safety burn ban or air quality burn ban is in place, all previously issued burn permits are suspended.

Land-clearing fires no longer allowed in Kitsap County

Effective September 1, 2009, land-clearing burning in Kitsap County is prohibited. Puget Sound Clean Air Agency enforces outdoor burning regulations which ban land-clearing burning in Kitsap, King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties www.pscleanair.org.

Residential outdoor burn permits

Much of the area served by Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue is located within the Kitsap County high density boundaries. Properties located in the urban growth area are designated as no burn zones including all of Silverdale and much of the area southeast of Bremerton. Burning permits are not issued for properties located within the no burn zone.

If you live outside of the urbanized no burn zone and wish to burn your yard debris, burn permits can be issued if there is a Kitsap County permanent, permitted residence on the property. Permits for piles 4'x4' or smaller are issued for the calendar year. Permits for piles greater than 4'x4', but less than 10'x10' are issued for a 14 day period. Where burning is allowed, permits are issued for residential fires if they meet the following conditions:

• There is a residence on the property.
• Fires are limited to dry vegetative materials grown on the property, such as leaves, branches and twigs. Items such as paper, trash and stumps are not allowed.
• Fires may not exceed ten (10' x 10') feet in diameter.
• A 4' x 4' pile must be ten times the diameter of the pile from any structure and at least twenty-five (25) feet from vegetation.
• A pile larger than 4' x4', but smaller than 10' x 10' must be at least 50 feet from any structure and at least twenty-five (25) feet from vegetation.
• Fires are only allowed during the daylight hours of 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
• Only one pile may be burned at a time.
• A garden hose, connected to a water supply is required on site for all residential fires, or a shovel and five (5) gallons of water must be at the burn site at all times.

You may pick up your free residential burn permit at the Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue Administration Office, 5300 NW Newberry Hill Road, Silverdale , Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM, or at Stations 41, 45, 51, or 56 when firefighters are available in quarters.

Recreational camp fires

Recreational camp fires are allowed without permit in the no burn zone and outside the no burn zone area as long as they meet the following:

• Fires for recreation may be a maximum of three (3) feet or less in size for cooking, pleasure and ceremonial purposes.
• Fires must be at least twenty-five (25') feet way from buildings, structures and combustible matter.
• Fires may only burn charcoal or seasoned, dry firewood.
• Fires must be attended at all times by an alert adult.
• A garden hose, connected to a water supply is required on hand at all times, or a shovel and five (5) gallon bucket of water.
• Fires must be in a designated fire pit.

Recreational fires are allowed during a Phase I fire safety burn ban. During a Phase II burn ban, all outdoor burning is banned with the exception of barbeques using charcoal briquettes and gas grills.

Outdoor burning complaints

• Call 911 for uncontrolled fires, unsafe outdoor burning or unattended burning.
• Contact Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) for smoke complaints, garbage burning, burning in the no burn zone, and complaints about indoor burning at 1.800.552.3565 or www.pscleanair.org.
• Contact Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue Public Safety Division for questions about burning regulations at 360.447.3550.

Agricultural and silvicultural burning

Agricultural burning permits are available only to farmers who can demonstrate through tax records that they run a commercial, agricultural operation and that the burning is necessary or meets the criteria for best management practices. For information about agricultural burning permits call PSCAA at 1.800.552.3565.

Your local fire department and the Washington Department of Natural Resources have the authority to issue permits for silvicultural burning for reforestation projects. If you have additional questions about outdoor burning in the Central Kitsap area, please call us at 360.447.3550.

Thank you for doing your part in being fire smart.

View Printable Page