COUNTY BRIEFS

Special filing period Aug. 8-10

The Mason County Auditor’s Elections Department announced a special three-day filing period Aug. 8 to 10 for any challengers to the incumbent. There’s no filing fee.

According to a news release, candidates for the positions of Mason County Cemetery District Positions No. 1, 2 and 3; Fire Protection District 18 commissioner position 1 and 4; Public Hospital District No. 2 commissioner position No. 4; Port of Dewatto commissioner district 2; North Mason School District school board director district No. 4; and Tahuya River Water District commissioner position No. 3.

Candidates can file at masoncountywaelections.gov. A valid email is needed to file online. If you cannot file online, people can file in person at 411 N. 5th St., Shelton. All candidates who file during the special period will appear on the Nov. 7 general election ballot. If no one files, the incumbent retains the position for the first two years of the next term. There is no candidate withdrawal period for the special filing.

Any questions can be directed to the Mason County Auditor’s Elections Department at 360-427-9670, ext. 470.

DNR issues burn ban

The state Department of Natural Resources has banned burning on DNR-protected land in Mason County.

According to a news release, the burn ban began Friday and is in parts or all of Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kitsap, King, Pierce and Thurston counties. The ban includes campfires, recreational fires, and charcoal and briquettes. Cooking stoves, barbecues and recreational fire pits fueled by propane or gas with a shutoff valve are still permitted.

Mason County issued a burn ban July 7 with the same restrictions in place.

State Patrol talks vehicle fire safety

Washington State Patrol reminds drivers about vehicle fire safety and what to do if your vehicle catches fire.

According to a news release, from 2018 to 2022, the number of fires involving vehicles in Washington was 17,565 for a total loss of $181 million. Vehicle fires accounted for more than 13% of fire incidents in the four-year period.

If your vehicle catches fire, the state Fire Marshal’s Office wants people to know to pull over as quickly as possible. Once you have stopped, turn off the engine and get everyone out of the vehicle and do not fight the fire yourself. Call 911, and remember to move at least 100 feet from a burning vehicle and away from traffic.

For more information, contact the state Fire Marshal’s Office at 360-596-3929.