DOE burning regulations douse Palouse mommoth burn plan

Palouse artist Thad Froio stands next to his giant wooden mammoth. Froio says he may not burn the mammoth as originally intended.

The anticipated burning of the wooden mammoth in downtown Palouse has hit an obstacle.

Artist Thad Froio received a phone call from the state Department of Ecology (DOE) last week and was informed it was illegal to burn anything but natural, unprocessed vegetation in the state of Washington.

Froio said DOE official Kary Peterson said he received a photocopy of the May 5 Gazette article on the mammoth titled “Burning the Behemoth” on his desk.

Froio suspects someone...