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Goldendale officials warn of high fire risk, debate tougher code enforcement before Fourth of July
Summary
Fire Chief Noah Holm and Police Chief Smith warned of dry conditions and recent mutual-aid calls; councilmembers pushed for stricter weed enforcement and higher fines but staff noted statutory limits on citation amounts and the cost of abatement actions.
Fire Chief Noah Holm told the Goldendale City Council on June 19 that "fire season is here" after the department assisted nearby jurisdictions with recent fires and that a red-flag warning for high winds and low humidity was expected the following day.
Noah Holm said the department has provided mutual aid to Centerville and responded to a Royal Summit incident near Maryhill. "It's getting dry out there," he said, and urged residents to be cautious as the community approaches July 4.
Police Chief Smith reported May public-safety activity: "we actually had 20 arrests and we had 288 calls for service," and urged responsible behavior over the holiday.
Several councilmembers raised concerns about tall grass, weeds and property maintenance that they say increase fire risk. Councilmember Steve Johnston criticized current enforcement as ineffective and proposed raising fines (which he described as "only $100 or $150" in the existing code) to better motivate compliance. Another councilmember suggested an ordinance that would bar rental of properties with repeated code violations, though members noted constitutional and legal constraints.
Staff and the council's building official, Robert, cautioned that citation amounts for certain violations are governed by Washington state statute and not set locally. As noted in the meeting, abatement—hiring crews to cut weeds and placing liens—incurs legal costs and the city may not recoup those expenses quickly.
The council also discussed fireworks enforcement. Officials said enforcement of illegal fireworks is resource-intensive because officers must witness violations to act, and that a full ban could drive more hazardous use into private areas. Fire Chief Holm said he personally favors restrictions but acknowledged enforcement tradeoffs.
Next steps: building official Robert and code enforcement will present a quarterly report at the council’s next meeting; councilmembers asked staff to review enforcement options and to report back on legal constraints and potential ordinance language.
