WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – One of Whatcom County’s largest fire districts is again going to the voters to fund its key emergency services.
North Whatcom Fire and Rescue, also known as Fire District 21, plans to place a fire levy rate renewal on the August primary election ballot. If approved, it would raise the current levy rate from 76 cents to $1.20 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Fire Chief Jason Van der Veen told My Bellingham Now that the district is struggling to keep up with the growing population of the communities it serves.
“We’ve been able to stretch and make things work for a long time, but we are just up against a wall,” Van der Veen said. “We all see the population of Whatcom County growing and we’re seeing that especially in the Birch Bay, Blaine and Semiahmoo area.”
The revenue would help the fire district increase staffing, replace aging equipment and rebuild the aging Station 63 in Birch Bay, among other upgrades. It’s the fourth time the fire district is going to the voters after two previous tries in 2021 and another in 2024 all failed.
The fire district serves nearly 34,000 people across Lynden, Blaine, Birch Bay, Custer, Laurel and Semiahmoo, as well as residents in Whatcom Fire District 4.
You can find more information on NWFR’s levy on its website.
