Riddle Fire District

 Outdoor Debris Burning Permit -- Terms and Conditions

 Ordinance No. 061917
Riddle Fire Protection District ("District"), P.O. Box 145, Riddle, Oregon 97469 Office: (541) 874-2373 | Cell: (541) 637-7029 | [email protected]
 
By accepting these terms, the Permittee acknowledges they have read, understood, and agree to comply with all conditions set forth herein. This acceptance is required before any debris burning activity may be registered. 

1. Authority and Purpose

 1.1. This permit is issued under Ordinance No. 061917, adopted by the Riddle Fire Protection District, Douglas County, Oregon, to promote public health, safety, and welfare and to safeguard citizens from the air pollution and fire hazards of open burning.
 1.2. This ordinance applies to all outdoor burning within the Riddle Fire Protection District. 

2. Definitions

 2.1. "Clean Wood" means natural wood which has not been painted, varnished, or coated with a similar material, has not been pressure treated with preservatives, and does not contain resins or glues as in plywood or other composite wood products.
 2.2. "Open Burning" means kindling or maintaining a fire where the products of combustion are emitted directly into the ambient air without passing through a stack or chimney from an enclosed chimney of a building.
 2.3. "Closed Fire Season" means any period when the Douglas Forest Protective Association has determined that conditions warrant regulating open burning.
 2.4. "Fire Chief" means the Chief of the Riddle Fire Protection District or other person(s) authorized by the Fire Chief. 

3. Permit Requirements

 3.1. No person shall start or maintain any open burning without a burning permit during Closed Fire Season, as issued by the District or the Douglas Forest Protective Association.
 3.2. When weather conditions warrant, the Fire Chief or the Douglas Forest Protective Association may declare a burning moratorium on all open burning and temporarily suspend previously issued burning permits.
 3.3. This permit requires compliance with all applicable provisions of Ordinance No. 061917 and any additional special restrictions deemed necessary to protect public health and safety.
 3.4. Any violation of the conditions of this permit shall be deemed a violation of the ordinance. Any such violation shall void the permit. 

4. Debris Burning Requirements

 4.1. Only leaves, weeds, brush, stumps, clean wood, and other vegetative debris may be burned under this permit.
 4.2. All burning shall be conducted in a safe, nuisance-free manner, when wind and weather conditions are such as to minimize adverse effects on the community.
 4.3. All burning shall be conducted in conformance with all local and state fire protection regulations.
 4.4. No open burning shall be undertaken during periods when either the Fire Chief or the Douglas Forest Protective Association has issued a burning ban applicable to the area.
 4.5. Debris burning shall be conducted during daylight hours only, per Department of Environmental Quality regulations.
 4.6. All burning shall be constantly attended and supervised by a competent person of at least eighteen (18) years of age until the fire is fully extinguished and cold.
 4.7. The attending person shall have readily available such fire extinguishing equipment as may be necessary for the total control of the fire. 

5. Prohibited Materials

 5.1. In accordance with ORS 477.515 (OAR 629-043-0040), the following materials may not be burned in any open fire, burn barrel, or other indoor or outdoor device. The District will not issue a permit for burning any of the following without written approval from the Department of Environmental Quality, and reserves the right to deny a permit even with such approval.
 5.2. Rubbish or garbage, including but not limited to food wastes, food wraps, packaging, animal carcasses, paint or painted materials, furniture, composite shingles, construction or demolition debris, or other household or business wastes.
 5.3. Waste oil or other oily waste, unless in a commercially produced waste oil heater.
 5.4. Asphalt and products containing asphalt.
 5.5. Treated or painted wood, including but not limited to composite wood products or other wood products that are painted, varnished, or treated with preservatives.
 5.6. Any plastic material, including but not limited to nylon, PVC, ABS, polystyrene or urethane foam, and synthetic fabrics, films, and containers.
 5.7. Rubber, including tires and synthetic rubber-like products.
 5.8. Any other material not listed above but prohibited by the Department of Environmental Quality. 

6. Liability

 6.1. The Permittee shall be responsible for all fire suppression costs and any other liability resulting from damage caused by any fire ignited under this permit. 

7. Enforcement and Cost Recovery

 7.1. The Fire Chief and the City Manager are authorized to enforce the provisions of this ordinance under ORS 478.965.
 7.2. Cost recovery fees may be imposed for any response to open burning violations. The District will maintain an educational approach to initial responses, but fees shall be invoiced for egregious violations and any open burning during a District-wide Burn Ban due to fire season or extreme fire danger.
 7.3. Open burning violations include violations of the Oregon Fire Code (OFC), Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS), or Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) regulations. Fees will be based upon the reasonable estimate of the actual average cost of an open burning response.
 7.4. The applicable fee schedule is adopted by reference in OAR 837, Division 130, State Fire Marshal Standardized Cost Schedule. 

8. Severability

 8.1. Should any portion of this ordinance be declared unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this ordinance shall not be affected.

• If this burning activity is a result of forest activities please contact your local ODF office. Forest activities are required to be registered with an E-Notification. 
• If burning within Rural Fire District, piles must meet their safety requirements - proper size, clearance from structures/trees, having water and tools nearby. 
• Only approved materials like yard debris can be burned. Many items like household trash are prohibited. 
• Burns must be attended at all times and fully extinguished by sunset. 
• Burning that causes a public hazard from smoke or fire can be extinguished and fined. 
• Agriculture and forestry burns have separate rules and permitting from ODF. 
• Burn early in the day while temperatures are low and humidity is high. The permitted burning times are daylight hours. However, we recommend all burning be completed by 11am, if possible. 
• DO NOT BURN ON WINDY DAYS. 
• Never leave your fire unattended, even for a short period of time. ALL FIRES MUST BE EXTINGUISHED IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO BE PRESENT AT ALL TIMES. 

All open burning within fire district boundaries in Oregon shall comply with state laws, including the Oregon Fire Code. Unlawful fires may result in cost recovery fees, Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) referral, and Oregon Department of Forestry citation when appropriate. Open burning rules shall be clearly posted on fire district websites and available in print. Rules shall use plain language compliant with the Oregon Plain Language Act. Outdoor fires during a declared fire district burn ban are a public safety hazard and may lead to fire district response, extinguishment, and cost recovery fees. 

Outdoor fires impairing roadway visibility are a hazard and may lead to fire district response, extinguishment, and possible cost recovery fees. Fires causing emergency medical response may lead to extinguishment and potential cost recovery fees.

Burn complaints are lower priority than emergency responses absent a hazard determination. Complaints shall be reported via published non-emergency lines and prioritized appropriately.  Commercial and industrial open burning are prohibited statewide.  Construction and demolition debris may be burned outside urban growth boundaries and restricted burn areas with proper permissions. Agricultural burning requires a special permit and compliance with all applicable Oregon Department of Agriculture rules.

Recreational fires must follow published size, setback, and safety requirements. Restrictions may apply during high fire danger. 

Backyard burning of approved materials is allowed in some areas on designated burn days. Check with your local fire district for specific rules. All burning must comply with state smoke management rules. Fires must be extinguished if smoke or odor affects others. Any unlawful or non-compliant burning is subject to immediate extinguishment and cost recovery fees.

Debris Burning

Debris burning in Oregon is regulated by state laws and local fire district rules. This document provides an overview of requirements for safe and legal debris burning.

Permits

• Contact your local fire district to determine if a permit is required for debris burning. Some areas require permits for pile burning.
• Permits from the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) are required for slash burning. Agricultural burning also requires ODF permits.
• Burning without required permits may result in fines or other penalties.

Allowed Materials

• Only vegetation and woody natural materials from the property may be burned. This includes grass, leaves, needles, brush, and untreated wood.
• Burning of prohibited materials like garbage, plastics, rubber, petroleum products, and chemically treated materials is unlawful.

Pile Requirements

• Piles must be less than 10 ft x 10 ft x 10 ft in size and at least 50 feet from structures.
• Piles should be free of dirt and dried prior to burning.
• Only 2 piles may be burned at once if space allows.

Safety

• Fires must be attended at all times by an alert adult with adequate fire suppression tools.
• Adequate water and hand tools must be close by to extinguish the fire if needed.
• Burning must cease if winds exceed 10 mph or other weather conditions worsen.
• Fires must be fully extinguished by sunset or if smoke creates a hazard.

Air Quality

• Burning is only allowed on designated burn days. Contact your local fire district for updates.
• Smoke that impairs visibility on roadways or causes a health hazard is prohibited.
• DEQ may restrict burning during air quality advisories.

By following these terms and conditions, debris burning can be conducted safely and in compliance with Oregon laws. Failure to comply may result in civil penalties. 

Please burn responsibly.