San Juan Islands Conservation District
San Juan County, Washington
Biochar Kiln Rental
SJICD is proud to offer the Ring of Fire Biochar Kiln for use by San Juan County landowners.
Rentals will be available starting February 2026. Users must attend a kiln workshop to be eligible to rent a kiln.
Spring workshops are full, sign up for our mailing list to be notified of future workshops.
More details coming soon. Please contact Maggie Long, maggie@sjicd.org, with questions.
Burn Smart
Kiln burning is climate and neighbor friendly. Kilns produce less smoke and fewer emissions than open pile burning. Burning at high heat with plenty of fuel and oxygen reduces the amount of particulate matter, CO, CH₄, VOCs, and greenhouse gases released.
Follow these tips for a safe, climate friendly burn:
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Use only dry natural wood
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Maintain an active flame at all times
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Avoid stagnant-air days
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Check burn restrictions via the San Juan County Fire Marshal
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Fully extinguish piles before leaving
Is a Kiln Rental Right for You?
Benefits of Biochar
In addition to a cleaner burn, kilns produce biochar, a carbon-rich soil amendment which improves soil fertility and contributes to climate change mitigation. Biochar stores up to half the initial feedstock carbon in a highly stable form that can persist in soils for thousands of years.
Try adding biochar to:
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Soils for improved crop yields, soil structure, microbial activity, and water holding capacity.
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Compost for reduced nutrient loss, odors, and greenhouse gas emissions.
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Manure for faster composting, less odor, and a higher nutrient compost.
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Raingardens for filtering heavy metals out of stormwater.
Additional Resources