PORT ANGELES — Don’t light those briquettes — yet — if you’re cooking in Clallam County.
In Jefferson County it will soon be OK.
Jefferson County will permit charcoal cooking fires in approved containers starting at midnight tonight, according to a news release from East Jefferson Fire Rescue.
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Clallam County will continue to ban them, according to the county fire marshal. That includes the city of Port Angeles.
Just in time for the Labor Day weekend, Peter Goldmark, state Commissioner of Public Lands, lifted the Stage 2 ban on recreational fires starting Saturday.
Stage 2 bans all burning. Stage 1 permits recreational campfires in established state Department of Natural Resources fire rings.
Jefferson County will follow the state’s lead in amending its burn ban to Stage 1.
Clallam County will remain at Stage 2, according to Annette Warren, county fire marshal.
DNR defines allowable campfires as those for recreational, religious, ceremonial, cooking, warmth or similar purposes, 3 feet or less in diameter.
Trash fires are not permitted, nor are land-clearing fires.
The burn ban was lifted for DNR lands in Washington counties west of the Cascade Mountains. It remains in effect on the east side.
The statewide burn ban instituted June 22 remains in effect on all other lands, except where permitted by local fire departments and fire districts. All other outdoor burning is banned.
For a fuller description of activities prohibited by the state burn ban, visit http://tinyurl.com/PDN-DNRburnrules.
For Jefferson County information, see http://www.ejfr.org/.
For Clallam County information, see http://tinyurl.com/PDN-clallamfirerules
