Regulation of Burning in Oregon

DEQ regulates many types of burning in Oregon including commercial, construction, demolition, domestic, and industrial. Other types of burning, such as forestry and agricultural field burning, are regulated by other state agencies or local governments. DEQ coordinates and provides oversight with these other burn programs. However, smoke complaints should be directed to the agency or government which regulates burning.

Forest Fires and Forestry Burning

• Forest Fire Information and Health Effects of Smoke
• Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF): Regulates the burning of forest slash and prescribed burning, and operates a statewide smoke management program.

Agricultural Field Burning

• The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) regulates agricultural field burning and operates a smoke management program in the Willamette Valley.
• DEQ/ODA Memorandum of Understanding
• Smoke FAQs
• DEQ Field Burning fact sheet
• 2010 rulemaking on Willamette Valley Field Burning
• Emergency Field Burning
• 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

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.

• 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.

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