Homecoming bonfire permit denied

The Olympic Regional Clean Air agency (ORCA)  has denied a permit for the Olympia High School Alumni Association to hold a homecoming bonfire – –  something it’s done for decades.

According to Alumni President Charlie Kirry, without the permit from ORCA, the City of Olympia won’t grant a permit.

Each year, at the beginning of school, the Olympia High School Alumni Association sponsors a homecoming bonfire, for the purpose of encouraging school spirit and for the tradition associated with the event.

Kirry said it appears that ORCA has no criteria for granting permits.  The cities of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater are in a permanent burn ban, and ORCA just doesn’t want to permit any fires without some criteria for getting around the ban, according to Kirry.  “Without criteria, they’re just rejecting any permit applications,” he said.

“What has our world come to when we cannot enjoy the warmth of a fire,” he said.   ” Does anyone else wonder if government has grown too big a part of everybody’s business?”