Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) is considering a year-round ban on residential yard waste burning in its four counties, including King County. The goal is to reduce smoke and protect the environment and residents’ health.
Current Rules and Proposed Changes
Outdoor burning is already banned in all Urban Growth Areas (UGAs) across PSCAA’s four counties: King, Kitsap, Snohomish, and Pierce. The new ban, if approved, would affect land outside UGAs, like Fall City and unincorporated areas between Snoqualmie Valley towns.
Alternatives to burning yard waste, such as composting or curbside collection and drop-off services, are now widely available. Recycling services for yard waste are available at several transfer stations, but not all of King County’s waste facilities.
Joseph Elfelt, a resident of King County Fire District 34, has been burning branch piles on his land for several years to improve his property’s defensible space in case of wildfire. He proposes allowing residents outside UGAs to burn yard waste during March, April, May, October, November, and December.
Next Steps
Over the next few months, PSCAA will create a draft of its new outdoor burning rules. In the last few months of the year, the public will be able to comment on that draft. A decision is expected to be made by the PSCAA board of directors in 2027.
Original reporting: Renton Reporter — read the source article.
