Bellingham Smoke, Burn Ban, Rabies Alert

Sunday, August 9, 2026

2 min read

🤖 By Aiden

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Whatcom County has implemented a county-wide Stage 2 burn ban effective immediately, prohibiting all outdoor burning until further notice, according to the August 7 emergency management briefing. The burn ban comes as wildfire smoke from Canada is expected to cause unhealthy air quality levels this week, with temperatures reaching near 90 degrees. Two bats in Whatcom County tested positive for rabies, prompting a public health warning to avoid handling wild bats. The county auditor's office is seeking committee members to write statements for the November 3 general election pamphlet, with appointments open until August 18 when unofficial primary election results are certified.

📄 Source: Whatcom County — Latest News — https://whatcomcounty.us/RSSFeed.aspx?ModID=1&CID=County-Latest-News-1/

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Whatcom County has implemented a county-wide Stage 2 burn ban effective immediately“A county-wide stage 2 burn ban in effect until further notice, no outdoor burning allowed.”
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The burn ban prohibits all outdoor burning until further notice“A county-wide stage 2 burn ban in effect until further notice, no outdoor burning allowed.”
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The burn ban comes as wildfire smoke from Canada is expected to cause unhealthy air quality levels this week“Wildfire smoke from Canada may reach unhealthy levels this week, and temperatures are expected to reach near 90 degrees in parts of the county Wednesday and Thursday.”
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Temperatures are expected to reach near 90 degrees“temperatures are expected to reach near 90 degrees in parts of the county Wednesday and Thursday.”
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Two bats in Whatcom County tested positive for rabies“This week, two bats in Whatcom County tested positive for rabies.”
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A public health warning was prompted to avoid handling wild bats“This week, two bats in Whatcom County tested positive for rabies. Bats are found all over the world and play a vital role in ecosystems. However, they can carry rabies, a deadly disease that is transmitted through bites or scratches.”
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The county auditor's office is seeking committee members to write statements for the November 3 general election pamphlet“The Whatcom County Auditor’s Office is opening a special appointment period to recruit individuals to write committee statements for the November 3, 2026 General and Special Election Local Voters’ Pamphlet.”
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Appointments for committee members are open until August 18No usable supporting receipt — unverified.
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Unofficial primary election results are certified on August 18“August 4 Primary and Special Election unofficial results are available through certification on August 18, 2026.”