The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is downgrading the Burn Ban status to STAGE 1 for Snohomish County, and ending the Burn Ban for King County.

All current bans remain in effect until further notice.

Air quality in the Puget Sound area may improve for short periods, however Snohomish County will continue to see stagnant air conditions and pollution levels that could reach Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.

During a Stage 1 burn ban:

• No burning is allowed in fireplaces or uncertified wood stoves. Residents should rely instead on their home’s other, cleaner source of heat (such as their furnace or electric baseboard heaters) for a few days until air quality improves, the public health risk diminishes and the ban is cancelled. The only exception is if a wood stove is a home’s only adequate source of heat.
• No outdoor fires are allowed. This includes recreational fires such as bonfires, campfires and the use of fire pits and chimineas.
• Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.

It is OK to use natural gas, propane, pellet and EPA-certified wood stoves or inserts during a Stage 1 burn ban.