Expanded burn ban, Yakima County, WA.

[yakima]

Per direct communication with County Fire Marshal, propane cookers allowed. No charcoal or pellet cookers permitted.
So, 35,000 btu wok/paella ring burner ok. And griddle and gas grill. And, presumably, electric deep fat fryer. No pellet grill or green egg or KBQ. Kind of like investments, diversity is good. Still have many opportunities to burn deck, and house, and me.

[tstalafuse]

Our local sheriff appointed himself the county emergency manager and fire marshall (forced out the individuals in those positions), and promptly issued burn ban restrictions without actually knowing anything about whether or not one was appropriate. The point, 80% of all outdoor cooking fires come from gas grills that are allowed, so have fun and stay safe.

[jfmorris]

Yeah - that is always my beef with most of these bans. Who ever heard of a pellet cooker starting a forest fire?

[captainlee]

Getting scary here too, so dry. Now we've got that Loveland and near Boulder fires going on. As stated you can turn a gas grill off except when you have a grease fire.

[captainlee]

Now a third fire off 470 near Littleton.

[fzxdoc]

Stay safe, captainlee , and others impacted by encroaching wildfires.

I saw on the news last night that a California couple lost their home in a wildfire 2 years ago which was started by an undoused campfire, and now have had their new home burned to the ground by the fire started by a man pushing his burning car down an embankment in a forest. Natural disasters are hard enough to bear. Those started by humans are unforgivable.

Kathryn

[HawkerXP]

+1

[captainlee]

We are fine here, the fires aren't close. Amazing how many problems the forest service is having here with people not putting out their campfires. How incredibly stupid people are.

[yakima]

Main fire here is the so-called Retreat fire, between Naches and Rimrock Lake, Hwy 12. About 30 miles, power out all along 12. Road closed near Naches to White Pass (about 40 miles). Cabin at lake not in jeopardy, but no way to get to it, and presumably no power. Half the power poles are reportedly burned, so likely a long repair time.

[jfmorris]

I wonder if a propane smoker would be allowed? I always wanted a Camp Chef Smoke Vault 24....

[yakima]

I think so.
Our Retreat fire may have started from a propane tank explosion which then ignited a cabin/house. (Anecdotal hearsay, reported on Seattle news channel).

[tstalafuse]

My understanding is that they are allowed as are electric smokers (at least according to our burn ban proclamations). The heat source is not wood or charcoal that might put out an hot on fire ember, and the smoke comes from a smoldering wood chip or even pellets in a fully enclosed case. Sometimes it doesn't make sense to me, but I try to play by their rules.

[Huskee]

The scary thing is is anyone with enough brain cells to stand upright can fire up a gasser, not clean it, repeat, repeat, repeat, and blammo!! a grill fire. Folks who use charcoal or pellets are more likely to be experienced grillers/pitmasters, and much less likely to make the dumb mistakes that would cause fires to begin with. At least one would think.

But, go ahead and give the vast majority of dimwits free reign to skirt the line with their gassers while outlawing the likely-more-experienced folk from their equipment.

Yes, it pays to diversify in events like this! I try to keep one of every fuel type in case of power outages, burn bans, lack of fossil fuels for some reason, etc. Last night I split up a single small piece of ash wood into kindling sized pieces, lit them, had a small fire in my stickburner's firebox, cooked 2 steaks and a burger right there over the fire in the firebox. Though 'twas 90, and not comfortable. Never started any charcoal, never twisted a knob, never used electricity. It's fun having flexibility.

Stay safe!

[yakima]

In 46 years of grilling, had 1 fire, dirty pellet smoker. Tried going the untrimmed brisket route, which was/is a Texas thing. I think dirty grease channels on MAK impeded grease flow. But I mistakenly purchased a Select brisket, which turned out to have excessive external fat. In any case, keep it clean. Put fire out with rock salt, no cooker damage. Did learn that MAK has a fire alarm!

[yakima]

As you can see below, your intuitive analysis is correct.

[Huskee]

ComfortablyNumb That's why I said "more likely" and "one would think". Like how truckers are more likely to be good drivers than the avg Joe, but there are still terrible truckers out there.

[yakima]

tstalafuse allowed as how he tries to follow the rules. That set me off, looking for county ordinance re burn bans. All of which ultimately confirmed that I am better off retired and not practicing law. We follow the International Fire Code, with local amendments. Issues revolve around "open burning". Back to definitions in IFC, arguably any fire in a closed space with intake and exhaust is not an open fire, and thus arguably not subject to a burn ban. Have no idea re caselaw, which will be sparse. $1,000 fine and/or unknown amount of jail time. I give up. Firefighters here need to step in.

[tstalafuse]

Sorry I set you off. It is a fine and jail time for violating the ban here. As much as I have always wanted to go to jail, it just seems easier to not go to jail without a get out of jail free card. The real biggie is that if you do start a fire you get to pay all the expenses to put it out and any damages. Again, as much as I want to be broke for life, it just seems easier to not be broke.

[yakima]

Yo. I spent a night in jail. Rode bicycle when in college from Lincoln to Nebraska City, walked into their jail, they let me stay free. Warned me I might have company (didn't).

Code gives a lot of discretion to Fire Marshal. Recent SCOTUS case pulling back on Chevron deference to decisions by administrative agencies could play a role here.

[bbqLuv]

According to the US Fire Amm. About 5700 annual residential grill fires each year, most caused by malfunctioning gas grills.

[Huskee]

yakima You're onto something else overlooked by so many, cigarettes. They need lit by something, they drop tiny bits of hot ash, they need put somewhere when finished, and how many do this 100% responsibly?

[jfmorris]

Huskee I can't count how many times over decades of driving I've seen idiots flick their burning butts out the drivers window, and it hits the road, sparks flying. Pisses me off EVERY TIME. I was never a "real" smoker, but did buy a few packs as an idiot college kid, and if I smoked them in the car, the butts and ashes went in the ash tray - not the road. I would bet more fires are started by smokers than by grills.

[Huskee]

jfmorris That's one thing that upsets me as well. In their minds they're not littering, because that little chunk of foam filter is apparently a natural substance [eyeroll].

[FireMan]

A bigger question lurks! How many fires are started by use of charcoal or stick burners? Me thinks this is just ANOTHER case of perception over reality, can you say m#€¥*

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

at my old apartment complex, of the 4 fires while I lived there 2 were idiots cooking in their fireplace (the one I remember was a pot of grease so they could fry in the apartment without the smell!) the other 2 were charcoal grills of those I recall 1 was those cheapo square units you can buy at a grocery store. I had a gas grill which was the only type of grill allowed, but after those grill fires to remain compliant I had to store the gas grill inside and lug it down stairs to outside to use

[yakima]

Per post above, US Fire Administration reports 79% of residential grill fires involve gas. By extension, 21% are caused by mostly sticks and charcoal. There may be a probably small percentage of electric.

[yakima]

So our Retreat fire is over 30,000 acres, 18% contained, power company predicts months to make repairs, but a primary irrigation canal for Yakima Valley is back up after repairs, recharging now. Spent time on deck just now, fighting wood smoke with cigar smoke. I gave up. Thank goodness for good AC and HEPA filters.

[RichieB]

So sorry for you and all who are affected. Wishing you all a best.

[yakima]

Thank you. Fine here in Yakima.
But we sold a couple of cabin weekends at our church auction. It won't happen. Prolly need to reimburse the buyers.

[yakima]

Retreat fire. 41,000+ acres, 49% contained, 563 personnel.

But then there is Florida.