Washington permanent wildfire-smoke rules commence
Washington's permanent workplace wildfire-smoke protections took effect January 15, 2024. Covered employers must follow the smoke-protection requirements under WAC 296-820 or the applicable agricultural provisions; AQI references were updated separately in 2025.
The current rule's exclusions and action tiers determine which protections apply to a workplace.
- Legal status
- in force
- Source check
- Sep 17, 2026
- Topic
- Washington permanent wildfire-smoke rules commence
- Technical review
- Jiaxi · 2026-09-23
What changed
Previous requirement
Earlier emergency rule cycles.
New requirement or current position
Covered employers need a wildfire-smoke protection program under WAC 296-820 or the agricultural provisions.
Who it affects
- Covered workplaces in Washington
Dates and milestones
Commencement and compliance dates can differ. Read the conditions beside each date, including any stay or local adoption requirement.
- Announcement or publication
- Dec 14, 2023
- Recorded effective date
- Jan 15, 2024
What this could mean for your IH program
Editorial interpretation: review the workplace smoke plan and the jurisdiction-specific trigger table.
Confirm applicability with a qualified practitioner before changing your program.
Questions and qualifications
- Exact exclusions and action tiers must be read in the current rule before site application.
Source evidence
- Wildfire smoke rulemaking
Washington L&I · Status; Background; permanent rule documents
Records 2024 commencement and 2025 AQI alignment; underlying PM2.5 thresholds unchanged in 2025.
- Permanent rulemaking order AO20-29
Washington L&I · Page 1; effective-date field
Order adopted December 14, 2023; effective January 15, 2024.
Managing your IH program
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