The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

The Central Oregon Fire Chiefs Association (COFCA) announced that debris burn season is open as of October 1 for many of the local Central Oregon fire districts. With the recent fall weather and precipitation received in the area, the fire chiefs, local fire departments, the U.S. Forest Service, the BLM, and Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) have agreed that many areas are now safe to enter into burn season.

However, there remains a year-round burning ban in the city of Sisters.

Even with the opening of the burn season, Central Oregon Fire Chiefs remind residents that they need to call their local fire district to ensure the district is allowing burning at this time, that it is a burn day and to obtain any necessary permits.

“Even though we are entering burn season in many areas, some areas may be too dry for outdoor burning. In districts where burning is open, weather conditions such as high winds or warm fall weather can make outdoor burning unsafe. Checking in with your local fire district is important,” explained Harry Ward, president of COFCA.

“Residents who are in areas where outdoor burning is allowed will still be required to follow local agency regulations and closely monitor their piles to prevent spread to other combustibles,” added Ward.

For residents who are uncomfortable burning or are not in areas where outdoor burning is allowed, the fall FireFree events will be available to residents. Watch http://www.firefree.org for the dates of these events in October and November.

Central Oregon Fire Chiefs federal partners (U.S. Forest Service & Bureau of Land Management) are performing prescribed burns throughout the region.