A state-wide and county-wide burn ban is in effect. If you have any questions, please contact the Firewise Committee
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Sun Mountain Ranch Club’s Firewise committee’s mission is to encourage and empower neighbors within our community to enhance the safety and fire resilience of our homes and surroundings through education, wildfire preparedness, and proactive mitigation strategies.
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Burn BansOkanogan County Fire Districts and Emergency Management strongly encourage you call Okanogan County Sheriff Dispatch at 509-422-7232 option 4 before burning.
Yes, Clearing the vegetation from around your home, increases the odds of returning to a standing home if a fire happens to come ripping by this summer.
If you decide to burn that vegetation, what is one thing that you should do?
Make a call to Okanogan County Sherriff Dispatch before you start Burning.
A phone call may prevent the fire department from being dispatched to a well-organized controlled burn.
“Call before you Burn”- It is quick, easy, painless, and will more than likely stop a few hearts from racing when the fire alarm goes off.
Be sure to check with your city, town, Department of Ecology (air quality) and DNR for their current burning rules/restrictions.
Remember please call Okanogan County Sherriff Dispatch, 509-422-7232 option 4, to let them know when and where you’ll be burning.
Ask around to your friends, family, neighbors and even your enemies if they received this message, if not, ask them to go to https://www.okanogancounty.gov/EM/EverbridgeAccount to sign up for Okanogan Alerts to stay informed during EMERGENCIES.
Issued: 03-02-202605:51 PMMore Resources if you have additional questions
Below are some resources if you have additional questions. In addition, based on conversations with the DNR (Dept. of Natural Resources), the County, and the OCD (Okanogan Conservation District), we've provided more detail below on the regulations that the SMRC community needs to adhere to during burn bans and restrictions. We hope the information helps to explain things a bit better and alleviate any confusion.
For questions about burning under DNR regs, please visit https://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/protection/firedanger/.
For rules regarding pile burning: https://dnr.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-03/rp_burn_need_burn_permit.pdf.
For more information about permitting visit: https://dnr.wa.gov/wildfire-resources/outdoor-burning/burn-permits.
Active Okanogan county burn bans: https://www.okanogancounty.org/government/emergency_management/new_page/index.php
Background Information: SMRC Must Abide by DNR and County Regulations
SMRC is located on property that pays the DNR fees for fire protection, and as a result we are obliged to abide by DNR burn restrictions or bans, regardless of whether the county or other overlapping jurisdictions have differing bans or restrictions in place. For example, if Okanogan County's burn ban has been lifted, and DNR's hasn't, burning isn't allowed until the DNR burn ban is lifted. If DNR implements a burn ban or burn restrictions before Okanogan County, we have to abide by DNR's regs. In addition, if Okanogan County implements a burn ban or restrictions and the DNR has not, we must still abide by the county's decision.
To have a legal burn on property that is paying the DNR fee, both Okanogan County and DNR must have lifted their respective restrictions. That is the case as of October 15th this year and why the burn restrictions have been lifted for communities like SMRC. All fires still must follow DNR burn regulations (https://dnr.wa.gov/wildfire-resources/outdoor-burning/burn-permits).