(Amending Resolution 2002-59 Emergency Closure of Outdoor Burning on Private Lands in Skamania County)
WHEREAS, Skamania County Fire District #3 has concerns that the easterly portion of Skamania County has not received adequate rainfall and requests Skamania County to consider extending the closure of outdoor burning on private lands from Dog Mountain (mile post 53.80 on State Highway 14) to the most easterly county line of Skamania County, north to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest boundary.
WHEREAS, weather conditions have created a situation of increasing fire danger from Dog Mountain (mile post 53.80 on State Highway 14) to the easterly county line of Skamania County, north to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest boundary, whereby there is a need to further regulate outdoor burning on lands not under the jurisdiction of the Department of Natural Resources or Federal government to protect life and property; and
WHEREAS, public safety could be jeopardized if outdoor burning on private lands were allowed to continue during this dry season; and
WHEREAS, Skamania County adopted Ordinance 1994-07 which sets out open burning and emergency closure procedures;
WHEREAS, Resolution 2002-59, adopted on the 24th day of September 2002, the Board of Commissioners extended a ban on all outdoor burning in Skamania County through October 11, 2002; and
WHEREAS, the extreme fire danger conditions from Dog Mountain (mile post 53.80 on State Highway 14) to the most easterly county line of Skamania County, north to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest boundary continues.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that an emergency fire danger is hereby declared to continue in Skamania County from Dog Mountain (mile post 53.80 on State Highway 14) to the most easterly county line, north to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest boundary, continues due to extremely dry weather conditions; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all outdoor burning without a special written permit issued by the Board of Commissioners or Fire Marshall on non-state and non-federal lands from Dog Mountain (mile post 53.80 on State Highway 14) to the most easterly county line in Skamania County, north to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest boundary, effective midnight Friday the 11th day of October 2002 is herby prohibited, except for outdoor fires within habited premises or designated campsites where such fires are built in a permanent barbecue, portable barbecue, outdoor fireplace, incinerator or grill that are a minimum of 30 feet from a grass-grain-brush or forest covered areas and campfires in established campgrounds approved by a local, state, or federal agency that are not otherwise closed by the agency are exempt from these restrictions; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any violation of this emergency resolution shall subject the violator to the penalties set out in Ordinance 1994-07 (see Skamania County Code Chapter 8.14); and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that this ban will expire on the _______ day of ________, 2002, unless otherwise sooner terminated or extended by the Board.
PASSED IN REGULAR SESSION this 10th day of October, 2002.