205 W 5th Ave Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
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Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Kittitas County, WA - 07/06/2026 - A burn ban has been issued for unincorporated Kittitas County beginning at 00:01 AM on July 8, 2026. The burn ban prohibits open burning, also known as pile burning or debris burning. Open burning includes any ignition or burning of any combustible material outdoors. This includes garbage, leaves, grass, twigs, branches, litter, paper, vegetative matter, and other debris. The use of propane or gas stoves, or of charcoal briquette grills or smokers, is not prohibited. Campfires are allowed in approved fire rings in officially designated campgrounds only. Users must exercise extreme caution disposing of burnt charcoal and ensure campfires are completely extinguished before leaving them unattended.
The Kittitas County Fire Marshal determines the timing of a burn ban using objective standards approved by community stakeholders. Those standards include the moisture level of wildfire fuels, estimates of potential wildfire intensity, fire-related weather forecasts, and the availability of firefighting resources in the county. Together, these factors indicate extreme wildfire risk in the coming days. The Fire Marshal’s goal is to protect the community by using the lowest level of restriction that will effectively reduce that risk. We believe residents and visitors should be free to use fire responsibly when conditions safely allow it—and that those who use fire irresponsibly should be held accountable. Even outside a burn ban, fire use in Kittitas County is never without rules: safe burning requires constant attention, good judgment, and compliance with county, state, and local fire regulations. A burn ban is a targeted prevention tool, not a complete wildfire solution. Everyone in our community has a role in preventing wildfire by using vehicles, power equipment, smoking materials, power lines, firearms, and other potential ignition sources with extreme care. None of this year’s most significant wildfires in Kittitas County so far were caused by the kind of open burning affected by this ban, which is why continued caution in every activity that can start a fire remains essential. For questions about burning on Department of Natural Resources land, please contact DNR at 509-925-8510. For questions on Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife lands please call 360-902-2515. For question on U.S. Forest Service lands please call 509-852-1100. The Fire Marshal’s Office will continue to monitor current conditions and modify the burn ban as necessary.
Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us
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Contact: Fire Marshall Dan Young509-962-7000
