Burning and Smoke Management

Oregon DEQ regulates many types of burning in Oregon including commercial, construction, demolition, domestic, and industrial. However certain types of forestry and agricultural burning are regulated by other state agencies or local governments. 

Forest Fires and Forest Health Burning

• Forest Fire Information and Health Effects of Smoke
• Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) is responsible for managing the smoke from slash burning. ODF operates under a smoke management plan to try to minimize smoke intrusions into the Willamette Valley and other areas.

Field Burning and Smoke Complaints

• The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) operates a smoke management program for Willamette Valley Open Field Burning.
• DEQ/ODA Memorandum of Understanding PDF
• Smoke FAQs
• DEQ Proposed Rulemaking on Field Burning
• Open Field Burning In the Willamette Valley 2007 factsheet PDF
• Jefferson County smoke management
• Union County smoke management

Residential Open "Backyard" Burning

• Open burning regulations
• Report illegal burning by calling your local DEQ office or LRAPA.
• Oregon Open Burning Guide (English) (Russian) (Spanish) PDF
• Applying for a DEQ Open Burn Letter Permit (English) (Russian) (Spanish) PDF
• Burning Household Waste PDF
• US EPA Backyard Burning

Home Heating

• Residential Outdoor Wood Fired Boilers PDF
• Woodburning 101
• Selling woodstoves and the health effects of woodstove smoke

Burning resources for local governments

Customizable brochures in Microsoft Word format. Download, insert your text and logos in the highlighted sections and you’re ready to publish.

• Woodstove Heating Guide (English)
• Woodstove Heating Guide (Spanish)
• Outdoor Burning Guide (English)
• Outdoor Burning Guide (Spanish)

Contact William Knight, Office of Communications and Outreach at 503-229-5680 for more information on using these and other tools in your community.

[print version]