• Avoid backyard burning if at all possible.  Not only is backyard burning potentially dangerous it can become a nuisance to your neighbors.  Forest Grove Fire & Rescue encourages the use of green waste disposal through your refuse disposal company, as well as composting as safe and friendly options to yard debris disposal in our community.
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• Only burn on open burn days and during legal burning hours.  The Forest Grove Fire & Rescue Open Burning Hotline at 503.992.3242 is updated daily by 8:00 am with the burning information for the day.
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• Locate your burn pile well away from any structures, fences, trees, and other combustible vegetation.  At least 25 feet of space is needed between your burn pile and any nearby combustibles to prevent the fire from spreading to any unwanted areas. 
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• Provide a fire break around your pile.  Clear a strip of bare dirt for at least 3 feet in all directions around your burn pile.  This will help prevent the burn pile from igniting nearby grass and spreading to unwanted areas.
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• Always have firefighting equipment with you when you burn.  Items such as a garden hose, shovel, rake, or other similar tools should be quickly available to help control the fire if it starts to get out of hand.  If you think the burn pile is out of control do not hesitate to contact 9-1-1, leave the firefighting to us.
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• Burn only small amounts of dry yard debris only.  Wet debris can put off large amounts of smoke that can frustrate near by neighbors.  Dry materials burn quicker and cleaner and by keeping the pile small you can limit the smoke put off by your burn pile. 
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• Only yard debris may be burned in our community.  Never attempt to burn items such as furniture, dimensional lumber, or garbage.  The Oregon DEQ regulates open burning and can levy a fine of up to $10,000 for violation of the open burning regulations. 
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• Attend your burn pile at all times.  You are required to attend any open burning for the duration of the event.  In our area the wind can change quickly and this can cause the burn pile to spread to unwanted areas.
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• When you are done burning thoroughly wet the area in and around your burn pile.  While soaking the ash and debris with water stir them with a shovel to ensure that the water gets through the entire debris.  Once the pile is done steaming carefully check it to ensure that it is completely out.  Often time’s burn piles can cause vegetation root systems to ignite which may actually burn underground and unseen for days; this can lead to another potentially dangerous fire when you don’t expect it.
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• Know the difference between agricultural burning and back yard burning.  In our area “Ag Burning” is allowable if the debris being burned is from an agricultural operation on the property that provides substantial income to the property owner.  For instance a Hazelnut Grover may burn limbs or stumps from their operations on an open “Ag Burn Day”.  They may not burn other yard debris though, or conversely a person who lives in a rural area but is not part of a working agricultural operation may not burn yard debris on an “Ag Burn Day”.

Typically back yard burn season is open from March 1 to June 15, and from October 1, to December 15 every year.  Based on air quality conditions the Oregon DEQ determines daily if burning is acceptable that day, that is why it is so vitally important to call the Open Burning Hotline at 503.992.3242 daily to determine if burning is allowed.  To report a burning complaint please call our non emergency dispatch number at 503.629.0111, to report an out of control fire always call 9-1-1.  For more information on open burning please check the Oregon DEQ or call our office at 503.992.3240.