Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 11, 2000
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Alt Contact:  Emergency Management Division, 1-800-688-8955

All outdoor burning halted until fire danger eases

OLYMPIA - Gov. Gary Locke has banned all outdoor and agricultural burning in Washington this afternoon because of extreme fire conditions and a shortage of resources and firefighters.

The governor's order augments his proclamation of a state of emergency issued Tuesday and remains in effect until further notice.

Outdoor burning includes fires for residential yard debris clean-up, land clearing and weed abatement. In addition, farmers are not allowed to burn their fields.

"State fire experts caution us that sparks and ashes from any kind of fire can be carried by air currents to another location," Locke said. "Right now, it's not only possible, but likely, that a fire would start as a result of such burning."

Locke proclaimed a state of emergency on Aug. 8, which activated up to 500 Washington National Guard members to begin training to fight fires as needed.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) also issued a statewide ban of all open burning, including recreational bonfires, on all state forestlands and other DNR-protected land in Washington.

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