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March 20, 2013 at 7:40 pm #606852
RGParticipantHi Folks,
Twice now I’ve seen someone burning their yard waste in one of the burner barrels on Alki Beach. Can people do that? Is it legal?
Thanks!
March 20, 2013 at 8:15 pm #786162
MBParticipantAgainst the law… http://www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/AlkiBeachPark/fire.htm
“Enjoy a campfire on the beach at Alki!
Please light a fire ONLY in designated fire pits, available on a first-come, first-served basis. Burn only clean firewood (NO pallets please!), and douse your fire completely before you leave. Acceptable firewood is natural, bare, clean, dry cord-wood. It’s against the law and it’s unhealthy to burn yard waste, wood with nails or paint, refined lumber of any kind (whether treated or not), construction debris, or anything else one would burn just to dispose of it.
March 20, 2013 at 8:19 pm #786163
anonymeParticipantI’ve always thought it strange that it’s legal to burn on the beach when it’s illegal everywhere else, including a few blocks away. Isn’t it the same air? I hope they’re not burning driftwood.
March 20, 2013 at 8:27 pm #786164
MBParticipant@Anonyme, when you say it’s illegal everywhere else, what kind of fire are you referring to? It’s not illegal to have a fire in your yard…hence the reason so many stores sell fire pits. (Edit: Of course, if there is a burn ban in effect, that changes things. And you’re not supposed to burn yard waste in your personal fire pit either.)
March 20, 2013 at 8:41 pm #786165
RGParticipant(A woman yesterday had two big True Value yard bags full of yard waste and was burning it. I’ll say something next time.)
March 20, 2013 at 8:48 pm #786166
MBParticipantDefinitely do!
March 20, 2013 at 8:52 pm #786167
anonymeParticipantMB, you’re correct in that my comment was an uneducated guess. Is Alki exempt from burn bans? Aren’t “open fires” illegal anytime? Is there any time when burning – of any kind – does NOT pollute the air, whether “stagnant” or not? Seems like there’s a lot of gray in this area…
March 20, 2013 at 9:10 pm #786168
MBParticipantThere are a bunch of rules regarding out door fires, but they are not flat out illegal. I would think that if an outdoor burn ban is in effect, that includes Alki too. Here’s a link to a PDF from the Seattle Fire Department.
http://www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/AlkiBeachPark/fire.htm
March 20, 2013 at 9:14 pm #786169
MBParticipantI only know this because we had a “campfire” in our back yard last summer one night and a fire truck drove by, slowed down, looked, and then kept going without saying anything to us. I looked it up because I wanted to make sure we hadn’t broken any laws. I can only assume someone in the neighborhood either thought our house was on fire or themselves mistakenly thought outdoor residential fires were illegal. As long as it isn’t a big bonfire or right next to a structure, recreational fires are perfectly legal in Seattle.
March 20, 2013 at 9:47 pm #786170
JanSParticipantI see “illegal burns” on the Realtime 911 website quite often. Don’t just say something to the person at Alki…report them !
March 20, 2013 at 11:38 pm #786171
happywalkerParticipantyou can burn clean wood in your recreational fire pit long as there isn’t a burn ban and not next to a stricture and you have a water hose handy…just in case.
March 21, 2013 at 12:06 am #786172
MBParticipantFor those who don’t have the time to click on the link, here’s the nitty gritty from the Fire Dept…
Requirements for Recreational Fires
(Seattle Fire Code)
Recreational fires are those for cooking, pleasure, religious, ceremonial or similar purposes where the fire is not contained in an outdoor fireplace, grill or barbecue pit. Recreational fires are allowed provid-ing the following requirements are met:
a) No air quality burn ban is in effect.
b) The fire is not more than three feet in diameter and two feet in height.
c) The fire is located at least 25 feet from any struc- ture or combustible material. Conditions which could cause a fire to spread shall be eliminated prior to ignition.
d) Trash, yard waste, rubbish, or paper products are not being burned.
e) Fire extinguishing equipment is readily available for use.This should include a shovel and two buckets of water, or a charged garden hose or fire extinguisher with a 4-A rating.
f) The fire is continually attended by an adult until it is completely extinguished.
g) The fire is not being conducted on public prop- erty where fires are prohibited, such as in a park or on school grounds. Fires in parks are only al- lowed where specifically authorized, and where appropriate burning receptacles are provided.
h) If the fire is in conjunction with a sweat lodge, the lodge itself must be less than 200 square feet if constructed of a tent.
Prohibited Materials
The following materials may not be burned in any outdoor fire–garbage, dead animals, asphalt, petro- leum products, paints, rubber products, plastics, paper (other than what is necessary to start a fire), cardboard, treated wood, construction/demolition debris, metal, or any substance (other than natural vegetation) that normally releases toxic emissions, dense smoke, or obnoxious odors when burned.
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