A burn ban was issued this week for unincorporated King County due to the recent unseasonably dry weather.

The King County Fire Marshal issued the burn ban on Monday, with a press release explaining that the ban was prompted by unseasonably dry conditions, little expected rainfall in the near future and a low snowpack.

The ban will be in place through the summer. Under the ban, no outdoor burning is allowed except for small recreational fires in established fire pits at approved campgrounds or on private property.

Fire Chief Hank Lipe at Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR) called the dry weather during this time of the year unprecedented in recent history and said he is concerned about the fire risk on Vashon.

“The island needs to be extremely careful and vigilant in recognizing how dry it is and not burning,” he said.

All 39 counties in Washington have now enacted burn bans. On Monday the state Department of Natural Resources also expanded its burn band, previously only east of the Cascades, to include the entire state. That ban prohibits burning in state forests, state parks and forestlands protected by the agency.

Because of the dry conditions, many towns in Washington are also banning fireworks this year. In King County, 22 of 36 cities have complete fireworks bans in place. Other cities allow fireworks only on the Fourth of July, and in unincorporated King County, fireworks may be discharged only on the Fourth of July from 9 a.m. to midnight.

Lipe, at VIFR, said King County considered a fireworks ban but decided to allow fireworks in unincorporated areas this year and issued permits to firework stands, including one on Vashon. Legal firework sales begin this Sunday.

However, Lipe said he personally hopes people will avoid lighting fireworks this holiday because of the heightened fire risk.

“While it may be legal to use fireworks, I would recommend against it,” he said.

King County recommends that those who do use fireworks be sure that a responsible adult lights them, that fireworks are lit away from buildings, houses with wood shingles, trees and dry fields, and that a charged garden hose or a fire extinguisher is on hand. It also recommends that fireworks be soaked in water before disposal.

King County’s burn ban does prohibit sky lanterns.