Fall Backyard Burn Season

It's October and that means the return of the backyard burning season in and around Forest Grove. The fall burn season will run from October 1st until December 15th, but not every day is an open burning day. Daily, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality determines if burning will be allowed based on air quality observations. To find out if burning is allowed in our area call 503.992.3242 after 8:00 a.m. for the day's burning information.

Before you burn remember that backyard burning is for yard debris only. This means you may burn things like small piles of limbs, and other landscaping debris from around your property. Backyard burning is not for large land clearing piles, construction debris, or plastics and garbage. But what if you live outside of the city, does that automatically make you eligible for agricultural burning? Not quite, actually agricultural burning is for farmers and nurseries only and only allows them to burn the debris from their agricultural operations. For instance a farmer who has a hazelnut orchard may burn limbs from his orchard and be considered agricultural burning, where if he burned pruning from the hedge around his farm house that would be considered back yard burning.

If you have any questions about backyard burning and what it means in Forest Grove feel free to call our office at 503.992.3240. To report an illegal burn please call the DEQ directly at 503.229.5393. We ask that you call the DEQ and not the Fire Department for smoke complaints because the Fire Codes do not regulate smoke complaints in our community.