OPEN BURNING INFORMATION

Recreational Fires

A recreational fire (also known as a camp fire, cooking fire, or warming fire) is a small, occasional (less than four per month) fire which is no larger than three ft in diameter and two ft high, burning only dry, cut firewood.

Recreational fires are allowed year-round throughout the County under the following conditions:

LOW FIRE DANGER = Recreational Fires are allowed following open burning safety rules.

MODERATE FIRE DANGER =  Recreational fires are allowed, but may have additional conditions imposed.  See posted restrictions.

HIGH FIRE DANGER = Recreational fires are allowed, but may have additional conditions imposed.  See posted restrictions.

EXTREME FIRE DANGER = Recreational fires are not allowed, see posted restrictions.

Fires can be ordered to be extinguished by fire personnel, law enforcement, ODF or DEQ, and can be prohibited at any time.

Open Burning Safety

• Fires must be attended by a responsible adult until the fire is completely burned out or extinguished (No smoke or steam remaining)

• Keep your fires smaller and manageable (4 feet in diameter at most)

• Keep the space around the burn area clear of non-combustible materials (25+ feet or 15 feet if contained in a non-combustible fire pit less than 4 feet in diameter and minimum of 12" high).

• Do not locate the fire under overhead lines, overhanging trees, near fences or structures

• Always have a hand tool and water (Charged water hose recommended) at the burn area to control the fire and extinguish it if necessary

• Never burn unsafe materials or utilize flammable liquids to light your fire

Backyard Burning 

Backyard Burning is the burning of debris in an outdoor fireplace, burn barrel, backyard incinerator, or piles of yard debris.  You can only burn during open burning seasons - call the daily burn information line, or click the burn information button above before you burn.

Allowed Materials - What can I burn?

You can burn yard debris: wood, needles, or leaves from plants/trees grown and burned on the property of origin.

Prohibited Materials - What can't I burn?

You can NOT burn garbage, tires, plastics, decomposable garbage (organic material, bulk papers), petroleum and petroleum-treated materials, asphalt and asphalt materials, chemicals (pesticides, cleaners, detergents, or any materials that produce black or dense smoke.)

You can NOT burn materials that have been transported from another property.  Materials must be from the property you are burning on.

For smoke complaints please contact the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality at: (503) 378-8240 or see above for more info.

Agricultural Burning

Agricultural burning ("Ag burning") is the burning of any agriculture waste generated by an agricultural operation that uses, or intends to use, land primarily for the purpose of obtaining a profit by raising, harvesting, and selling crops or raising or selling animals (including poultry) or the products of animal husbandry.  Prohibited materials, such as garbage or tires, cannot be burned even in an agricultural setting.  If you have a complaint regarding agricultural burning, please call (503) 986-4709.

NO PERMIT REQUIRED FOR THE AURORA FIRE DISTRICT (Call the burn information line before you burn - 1-877-982-0011)