A permanent ban on land-clearing burning in King County was adopted last week by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency’s Board of Directors.

The ban, also ordered for Pierce and Snohomish counties, will take effect July 1. At least one local agency – Mountain View Fire and Rescue – will stop issuing land -clearing burn permits early. Spokesman Tim Perciful said the permits will be halted June 13.

The board deferred a decision to prohibit residential yard waste burning in non-urban areas ountil October of this year, pending further study, officials said.

The tentative effective date for a yard-waste burning ban is July 1, 2010.

The actions are part of an attempt to improve air quality. Some landowners opposed the bans in board hearings.