Or. Admin. Code § 629-048-0230

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 12, December 1, 2024

Section 629-048-0230 - Burn Procedures

(1) Before any prescribed burning is initiated, burn bosses should have a well thought out plan that takes into account:

(a) How weather will be monitored and changes in conditions will be communicated;

(b) Resources needed and actions taken to reduce pre-burn fuel loadings to minimize emissions.

(c) Resources necessary to accomplish ignition and ignition sequences;

(d) Resources and methodology necessary to contain and control the fire and prevent its escape, including communications to access additional resources, if necessary; and

(e) The Smoke Management forecast and how the burn will be conducted to minimize smoke entering SSRAs, other areas sensitive to smoke, and other communities.

(2) The forester may require that a written burn plan be prepared for approval under OAR 629-043-0026(4), prior to issuance of a burn permit. A prescribed fire plan is required under federal policy for all prescribed burning on federal lands.

(3) Prescribed burn operations with large tonnages (2000 tons or more) or burns that will occur over multiple days should be adequately planned and monitored to provide opportunities to cease lighting and hold the existing burn within smaller compartments in order to mitigate undesirable smoke effects or changes in the actual burn conditions from those that were forecasted.

(4) For prescription burn units on forestland subject to Level 1 regulation, burn bosses must provide specific information to be transmitted to the Smoke Management forecast unit in a standard format acceptable to the forester, regarding unit location, method of burning, and fuel loading tonnages by the day of the burn. If additional burning is deemed possible after 10 a.m. in consultation with the forecast unit, the plan deadline may be extended.

(5)

(a) Before ignition of any prescribed burning in a fire season (as designated by the forester under ORS 477.505), the burn boss must obtain a permit to burn from the forester as required by ORS 477.515 (not required for federal land management agencies). Federal land management agencies must follow agency policies that provide for an affirmative "go-no go decision" before ignition of any prescribed burning as documented and approved by the federal land management agency's line officer.

(b) A permit to burn from the forester is also required for all prescribed burning on non-federal Class 1 forestland in western Oregon at any time of the year.

(c) Under ORS 477.515(1)(a), the forester may waive the requirement for a burn permit in instances of burning other than described in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, so burn bosses should check with the forester locally to determine whether permits are required outside fire season.

(6) Before ignition of any prescribed burning on forestland subject to Level 1 regulation, the burn boss must obtain the current Smoke Management forecast and instructions and must conduct the burning in compliance with the instructions. Burn bosses must make provisions to be informed if the forecast or instructions are subsequently changed. Through communication among the burn boss, field administrator and the Smoke Management forecast unit, based on information specifically relevant to the burn location, a burn boss may obtain a variance from the instructions, but must document the time and method of communication and adhere strictly to the conditions of the variance.

(7) For prescribed burn operations with large tonnages (greater than 2000 tons) or burns that will occur over multiple days, burn bosses may request at least two days in advance that a special forecast and instructions be issued to ensure adequate attention to meeting Smoke Management Plan objectives. Issuance of a special forecast and instructions will be solely within the discretion of the Smoke Management forecast unit based on workload and sufficient local information to support the forecast.

(8) The Smoke Management forecast unit, in developing instructions, and each field administrator issuing burn permits are directed to manage the prescribed burning on forest land in connection with the management of other aspects of the environment in order to maintain a satisfactory atmospheric environment in SSRAs. This direction is to be applied to situations in which prescribed burning may impact SSRAs or other areas sensitive to smoke.

(9) Each burn boss or field administrator must validate that forecasted weather conditions are consistent with actual on-site conditions prior to ignition of burns.

(10) A burn boss is required to stop ignition, in a manner that does not compromise worker safety or the ability to prevent escape of the burn, if either of the following occurs:

(a) The burn boss determines, or is advised by a field administrator, that an SSRA, or other area sensitive to smoke is already adversely affected by the burn or would likely become so with additional burning; or

(b) The burn boss receives notice from the forester, through the Smoke Management forecast unit, or following consultation with DEQ, that air in the entire state or portion thereof is, or would likely become adversely affected by smoke.

(11) Upon stopping ignition required by section (10) of this rule, any burning already under way should be completed, residual burning should be extinguished as soon as practicable, and no additional burning may be attempted until approval has been received from the forester.

Or. Admin. Code § 629-048-0230

DOF 4-2007, f. 12-31-07, cert. ef. 1-1-08; DOF 2-2014, f. & cert. ef. 7-11-14; DOF 1-2019, amend filed 02/15/2019, effective 3/1/2019

Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 477.013, 477.562, 526.016 & 526.041

Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 477.013, 477.515 & 477.562