EPHRATA — Fire season is upon us and Grant County’s first countywide burn ban is set to begin on Friday and run through the end of September.

The ban will be in effect June 1-Sept. 30 each year in unincorporated areas of Grant County. Violations of the ban start at $150 for a first offense, $300 for a second offense and $500 for a third offense and each subsequent offense.

The ban does not cover individual cities in Grant County. Burning restrictions have been put into place since 2007 by the Department of Ecology for all cities in the state, as well as in Urban Growth Areas. Under the Grant County ban, all residential burning is prohibited, as is the burning of household garbage and building materials, which are also prohibited acts in Washington law.

Agricultural burning is allowed when permitted by the DOE. Campfires are allowed in approved devices at public campgrounds, but only if they are allowed by the campground in question. Recreational fires in private pits are allowed if the pit is surrounded by 25 feet of non-combustible space, a water line is present and someone is attending the fire at all times. The use of burn barrels in Washington at any time is strictly prohibited and illegal.

The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has the ability to extend the burn ban if the conditions call for it. The BOCC can also put into place additional burning conditions if fire potential is high.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.