The start of fire season is determined by fire danger, not by a date on the calendar. Coos Forest Protective Association (CFPA) has gone into fire season as early as mid-May but the average is around mid-June. Spring is a good time to clean up around your home and create some defensible space. Cleaning up any dead limbs and leaves, and pruning trees and bushes goes a long way to protect your home from wildfire. Taking this material to a transfer site, composting or chipping are great ways to get rid of it. Burning is also an option but it does come with some risk. “Don’t think you can’t have a wildfire outside of fire season. Last year in CFPA’s district, 16 of the 23 wildfires caused by debris burning were outside of fire season” said John Flannigan, Prevention Specialist. “People often don’t realize how long a fire can smolder, possibly not showing any smoke but then be spread by the wind. Burning can be done safely if safety guidelines are followed.” If burning is your chosen option, here are some things to consider before you strike that match: • You may need a burn permit. CFPA does not require a permit for debris piles outside of fire season but most cities and some rural fire departments do. No outdoor burning is allowed during fire season. To avoid a citation, know the rules. • It is only legal to burn wood and paper. Burning petroleum products and anything that causes dense, noxious smoke can lead to a visit from Department of Environmental Quality. • Before you burn, clear around your burn area; have fire fighting tools and a charged water hose immediately available. Stay with your burn until it is out. • Know the weather forecast. A foggy morning may turn into a windy afternoon and as we have seen recently, temperatures may be in the 50s one day and the 90s the next day. • Is your pile safe to burn? If you follow safe burning guidelines, hand piles can be burned safely. If you contact CFPA, they will come out and check your burn for safety at no charge. It is already late in the year to burn machine piles. • If your burn causes a fire, you can be billed for extinguishing it. You may also be responsible for any damages the fire causes. • Is burning your pile worth the risk? That is your call. Make it a wise one.
