Washington under statewide burn ban through Sept.

Published 12:30 pm Saturday, August 1, 2026

The governor has declared a wildfire state of emergency.

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson issued a statewide burn ban Aug. 1 on all outdoor burning, recreational or otherwise.

According to a news release, the ban will last until Sept. 30 and includes burning for yard debris, trash disposal, land clearing, weed abatement and bonfires. It also includes campfires not contained in structures like fire rings.

“This year has already been one of our busiest wildfire years on record, and we just started August,” Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove said in the release. “Our firefighters are already stretched thin across the state, and with more heat and wind expected this weekend and for the rest of the summer, any new spark on our tinder dry landscapes can lead to another devastating wildfire. I’m urging all Washingtonians to not be that spark.”

The burn ban comes as much of Washington state enters another Red Flag Warning, a weather alert that is sent out when conditions are ideal for wildfires to start and spread. Washington has been in a statewide drought since April 8, when it was predicted that the summer would be hot and dry, following a winter with particularly low levels of snowpack.

So far this year, more than 1,000 fires have burned approximately 425,000 acres in Washington. Currently, there are 12 active large fires, together burning more than 200,000 acres, the release said.

For more information on the ban, visit governor.wa.gov/news/2026/governor-ferguson-declares-statewide-wildfire-emergency-issues-statewide-burn-ban.

For more information on preventing wildfire, visit dnr.wa.gov/wildfire-resources/wildfire-prevention.