Puget Sound Clean Air Agency proposes residential yard waste burn ban

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) has proposed a permanent ban on residential yard waste burning across King, Kitsap, Snohomish, and Pierce counties. While yard waste fires are already prohibited in cities and Urban Growth Areas, this proposal would extend the ban to other unincorporated areas.

The proposed rule could be drafted and approved in 2027. Certain types of fires, including recreational fires, Native American ceremonial fires, and specific agriculture-related fires, would not be affected by the ban.

The Enumclaw Plateau Community Organization is hosting a meeting on September 8 at 6 p.m. at the Muckleshoot Library in Auburn to discuss the proposal. The meeting aims to inform residents and allow them to communicate challenges to the PSCAA, particularly regarding the difficulties small farmers face with yard waste disposal and the logistics of hauling large debris to transfer stations.