(SALEM,
Ore.) — In response to the
"Stay Home, Save Lives" Executive Order to reduce the effects of the
COVID-19 virus, a
coalition of Oregon state agencies are asking Oregonians to voluntarily refrain
from conducting outdoor burning.
The
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Oregon Department of Forestry
(ODF), Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office (OSFM), Oregon Department of
Agriculture (ODA), and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) recognize that many
Oregonians use fire as a necessary tool to manage their lands, including
industrial forest landowners, farmers, small woodland owners, and rural
residents. However, it’s important to weigh possible effects on the wider
community before choosing to burn. Please be a good neighbor. Smoke from fires
during the current pandemic may result in the following negative consequences
for the public and first
responders:
- Smoke inhalation can cause upper
respiratory symptoms, which could be incorrectly attributed to COVID-19,
leading to unnecessary testing or self-isolation.
- Exposure
to smoke and other forms of air pollution can increase the risk of
contracting infectious respiratory disease such as COVID-19, increase the
severity of existing respiratory infections, and worsen underlying chronic
respiratory conditions.
- There is a severe shortage of personal protective
equipment to reduce smoke exposure at this time.
- First responders and other emergency services are
operating at a reduced capacity and have limited resources to respond to
out-of-control burns.
COVID-19 affects
the respiratory system. Fever, cough and difficulty breathing are the
most common symptoms. While some people with COVID-19 are hospitalized, most
patients recover at home, where smoke from a nearby outdoor burn could worsen
their condition. To avoid additional health impacts, all people in Oregon are
asked to voluntarily refrain from conducting outdoor burning activities until
further notice.
Burning that can be delayed includes:
·
Debris burning around one’s property
·
Burn barrels
·
Industrial burning
·
Slash and forest burning
·
Agricultural burning that would impact neighbors
and can be delayed
Local officials may
already have prohibited outdoor burning in your area. If you must conduct
outdoor burning, please first check with your local fire agency to see if
outdoor burning is still allowed. If it is, please follow best burn practices,
which can be found on the website of the Office of the State Fire Marshall.
DEQ, ODF, OSFM, and ODA
encourage the public to use the following alternatives to burning when
available:
·
Recycle paper products
when possible
·
Compost or chip yard
debris on site
·
Haul to a yard debris
composting or recycling site
·
Reuse old lumber
For more information, visit:
