Half-burned campfire at Samish Crest sparks debate on fire rules

Betsy Gross found a campfire still burning at the Samish Crest Open Space overlook last month, with flames flickering beneath half-burned logs. A pair of plastic Adirondack chairs sat nearby, and Gross called 911 to report the fire.

Four firefighters from the Wildwood neighborhood hiked up within 10 minutes to extinguish the flames using shovels, rakes, and suppressant. The incident occurred during a period when a burn ban was active, a fact Gross learned only after returning home to check the city’s status.

The firefighter in charge told Gross that recreational fires are generally not illegal in the area. City rules state that such fires are prohibited only when a more restrictive fire-danger burn ban is in effect. Bellingham’s recreational-fire ban ended on Sept. 11 following recent rain. When allowed, fires must be attended at all times, kept 25 feet from structures, and fully extinguished upon departure.

Gross, who has hiked the trails for more than 20 years, described the sight of spent fires at the overlook as a recurring problem. She has previously reported other active or smoldering fires to the department, including one started by middle-school-age boys in a brushy section several years ago. "I told (the firefighter in charge) that it’s not uncommon for us or some hiker to chance upon a fire up there," Gross said. "It’s so dry, and we’re very concerned."

The City of Bellingham confirmed receiving several reports of fires at Samish Crest in early September. Parks and Recreation installed temporary warning signs in response, though those signs have since been removed or disappeared. Robert Walters, the community wildfire resilience specialist at the Whatcom Conservation District, noted that the area presents specific risks due to its wildland-urban intermix and hillside topography. He explained that fires travel faster uphill and can be accelerated by offshore winds.

Walters emphasized that embers, often carried by wind, are responsible for most home losses rather than nearby trees. He described the house as a log and the surrounding dry vegetation, mulch, and furniture as the tinder and kindling. The Conservation District offers free, confidential wildfire home risk assessments to help homeowners identify and mitigate vulnerabilities in the first five feet around a structure.

Washington state declared a wildfire emergency this year due to drought, high temperatures, and winds. By Aug. 1, more than 1,000 wildfires had burned about 425,000 acres statewide. Whatcom County was rated "very high" fire danger in late August and operated under a stage 2 burn ban. Walters supported clear, non-accusatory signage to improve public awareness, a strategy already used by residents at Clark’s Point. He stated that education remains the primary way to change behaviors and reduce risk.