Guidelines for Back Yard Burning During Summer June 20, 2017
Back yard Burning Still Allowed in Coos Bay and North Bend
With the weather warming up and the vegetation drying out, the Coos Forest Protective Association will soon be declaring “fire season.” Although this will ban open burning throughout Coos County, the incorporated cities of Coos Bay and North Bend will still allow back yard burning. The cities are exempt from the ban and are allowed to apply and enforce their own restrictions as conditions dictate. Our coastal air typically keeps the fuel moisture content in our area at a reasonable level through even the dry and windy summer months. Fire Department personnel continue to evaluate the conditions and still may need to enact restrictions before the summer is over. In Coos Bay, no permit is required for residential back yard burning, but the following rules must be followed:
- Burn during daylight hours only
- Fires must be kept in small controlled piles or in a burn barrel
- Fires must be attended by a responsible adult
- A hose or means to extinguish the fire must be on hand
- Allowed fuel includes wood, paper, and yard clippings only (No plastics or garbage)
Burning is a privilege. Fire department personnel or the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) may suspend or revoke that privilege if smoke creates a nuisance.
If you are unsure if your property is inside city limits or under the county’s authority, your address numbers may provide the answer. Typically, five digit addresses are outside of city limits, where three or four digit numbered addresses are inside the City.
The Fire Department urges everyone to use caution if they decide to burn; particularly during this windy and dry season. More information about back yard burning is available at http://coosbay.org/departments/fire-department#burning-regulations.
