Posted on by

Public safety officials are delaying the opening of the fall burning season

Public safety officials are delaying the opening of the fall burning season

In collaboration with the Oregon Department of Forestry, the Benton County Fire Defense Board, which represents the Adair, Alsea, Blodgett, Corvallis and Corvallis Rural, Hoskins-Kings Valley, Monroe and Philomath fire departments, announced a delay to the start of the fall outdoor burning season.

Originally scheduled for Oct. 1, the fire safety board will evaluate conditions at its Oct. 17 meeting to decide whether to open the fire season or extend the closure.

The decision to postpone the fall fire season was due to the ongoing fire danger and safety concerns, the board said. Factors related to temperature, low humidity, precipitation and wind can create an increased risk of rapid spread of wildfires if restrictions on outdoor burning are lifted too soon.

When outdoor fire season begins in the fall, there are specific hours and days when burning is permitted and a permit is required through the Philomath Fire and Rescue website. Burn times are updated daily online or the public can call the burn hotline at 541-929-5903.

Last week, Philomath firefighters extinguished an unauthorized painted wood fire pile that was unattended and without a water supply, said Deputy Fire Chief Rich Saalsaa.

Fires during this extended closed season could significantly worsen the current fire situation, the agency said in a press release. As a result, the Benton County Fire Defense Board and the ODF have adopted stricter regulations to ensure public safety.

“It is critical for residents to comply with these restrictions to avoid further strain on firefighting resources and prevent further fires,” the release said.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality offers some alternatives to open burning:

  • Recycle paper products.
  • Dispose of the waste in a landfill.
  • Compost yard waste and kitchen scraps.
  • Reuse old wood.
  • Use a shredder to make mulch or compost.
  • Organize a neighborhood cleanup day.
  • Take hazardous materials such as oil paints, solvents, garden chemicals and car fluids to a hazardous waste collection site. Burning these materials is illegal and dangerous.

For current information about the outdoor burning season, see the Willamette Valley Open Burning Announcement.