Vancouver, Wash. – Due to the extreme fire danger, effective at 12:01 am Thursday, July 26, recreational fires will be prohibited throughout unincorporated Clark and Skamania counties.

This recreational fire restriction is in addition to the general outdoor burning prohibition that was implemented on July 1. According to Clark County Fire Marshal Jon Dunaway this is a preventive measure to reduce the risk of grass or brush fires as a result of escaped camp fires. 

The ban also includes lands protected by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

“The ongoing hot, dry weather has us concerned with how easy it is for a fire to be ignited by an escaped ember from a recreational fire. A small campfire can accidentally spread to adjacent properties very easily with our current dry conditions,” he said.

With no precipitation in the forecast and the expectation of temperatures in the 80’s and 90’s to continue, the ban will be in place until sufficient rainfall occurs to lower the risk. 

Creating a defensible space around a home helps prevent wildfires from spreading to a residence, or vice versa. Dunaway recommends the following measures in both rural and urban areas:

Remove fuel

• Within 3-5 feet of foundations, outbuildings, garages and sheds
  • Within 10 feet of a house
  • Under decks and porches
  • From gutters, eaves, porches and decks
• Cut the lawn if it is brown. Dispose of debris and cuttings.
• Prune trees so lowest branches are 6-10 feet above the ground.
• Landscape with native and flame-resistant plants.

Self-contained camp stoves, which are not banned, are a safe and easy alternative for outdoor cooking.

For more information, please contact the Fire Marshal’s Office at 360.397.2186 or visit www.clark.wa.gov/community-development/fire-prevention.

CONTACT
Jon Dunaway
Fire Marshal
Community Development
564.397.4116
jon.dunaway@clark.wa.gov