Air stagnation advisory closes outdoor burning

from the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency

The National Weather Service has issued an Air Stagnation Advisory for the South Willamette Valley and Cascade Foothills in Lane County through Friday, Nov. 18, 2022, at 10 p.m. This means the airmass is stagnant and ventilation is poor. Any smoke or pollution added to the airmass will remain at the surface of the earth and reduce air quality.

In effort to preserve air quality, outdoor burning will be closed for unincorporated Lane County for the duration of this air stagnation event.

Outdoor burning will remain open for coastal Lane County because the air stagnation advisory does not include coastal locations.

Check the burning status online at LRAPA’s Outdoor Burning webpage or call the advisory line (541-726-3976) line before burning. The advisory is updated daily at 7 p.m. for the following day. Outdoor burning is always prohibited on lots smaller than two acres inside the Eugene Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and on lots smaller than 1/2 acre inside the City of Springfield and the Springfield UGB.

Residential outdoor burning is the outdoor burning of clean, woody yard trimmings which are actually generated in or around a dwelling for four or fewer family living units.

LRAPA regulates outdoor burning in Lane County to minimize impacts of smoke in the local airshed. There are two burning seasons each year, one in the spring and again in the fall. The start and end of each seasons vary year to year, but generally run from March 1 to June 15, and October 1 through October 31.

Regulations differ depending upon location, local city and county ordinances, and LRAPA rules. In addition, local fire districts may enforce further limitation on burn seasons. Find your local fire district on Lane County’s website.

LRAPA issues a daily outdoor burning advisory at 7:00 p.m. It is each resident’s responsibility to check their local fire district’s burning requirements.

Generally, residents who can burn may only burn woody yard debris generated on their own property. No material may be brought from other locations to burn.

• All burning must be constantly attended until extinguished, this includes smoldering burn piles.
• No burn shall create a public nuisance or hazard.
• No burn shall contain prohibited materials, including but not limited to, garbage, plastics, wire insulation, asbestos-containing materials, tires, automobile parts, asphalts, petroleum products, treated wood, rubber, or animal remains.
• Outdoor Burning Letter Permits may be issued in some instances for burning outside the scope of this program. The application for a letter permit must be made in writing to LRAPA using LRAPA’s Outdoor Burning Permit Request Form.

Air quality and fire protection agencies issue temporary burn restrictions for different purposes. We work together to communicate the current burn restrictions to residents.

LRAPA will curtail or prohibit residential outdoor burning based solely on the air quality impacts of outdoor burning. During certain weather patterns when the air is stable and stagnant and ventilation conditions are poor, LRAPA may temporarily restrict outdoor burning until conditions improve. This approach is a preventative measure designed to keep air quality from degrading during periods of air stagnation.

Local fire protection agencies may curtail or prohibit residential outdoor burning based solely on current fire hazard conditions. These restrictions usually occur in the summer and early fall, but will vary year to year based on seasonal climate.