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Much to learn about burning, say officials By Jill Briskey Living in the country has its perks. But burning trash and brush outdoors wherever and whenever the mood strikes isn�t one of them. That�s true even during the winter months, officials say. Before striking a match, Rogue Valley residents must first follow Jackson County and citywide burn ordinances. Environmental stipulations and the onset of each fire season also govern when, what and where residents can burn. "Our goal is to cut back on the number of illegal burns, so we�re not responding to them all of the time," Fire District 3 Battalion Chief Rod Edwards said. "Our big thing is to make sure the person is educated about the rules and regulations." On Friday, a resident of Rainbow Drive in the Agate Lake area near White City was issued a notice of violation by Fire District 3 for burning woody material on his property after dark. Edwards said that during November, December, January and February, fire departments will regularly respond to similar cases of illegal burns. "Most often, it�s either a burn barrel or an open burn," Fire District 3 Capt. David Slawson said. "Even if it�s a beautiful day, there are times when you aren�t allowed to burn." Cases of illegal burns are usually forwarded to and investigated by the Department of Environmental Quality, Edwards added. Residents living in the core of the Rogue Valley, from Ashland to Central Point, are part of the Air Quality Maintenance Area (AQMA). For those residents, burning is prohibited between Nov. 1 and March 1, Edwards said. "A lot of times, it can be a simple confusion as to where the person lives," Slawson said. "Sometimes a person is just new to the area and doesn�t know." Residents who don�t need to take their vehicles to the Rogue Valley I/M Station probably live outside of the AQMA area. Homeowners living outside of the AQMA area can light backyard fires if they obtain a permit. Even with a permit, residents can burn only when the ventilation index exceeds 400, Slawson added, and when a "burn day" is announced. The index � developed by regional air quality managers � measures wind direction and velocity, temperature, convection currents and other factors. The rules differ from city to city throughout the county, Edwards said. High air pollution levels prompted Jackson County officials to adopt a burn ordinance in 1989. Officials began regulating open burns, barrel burning and the use of wood stoves. The Oregon Department of Forestry prohibits burning during fire season, which differs from year to year. Residents of Medford and Jacksonville face year-round restrictions. That rule makes things a little easier for some cities, such as Medford. "We have different regulations in our district," Medford Battalion Chief Dale Mawhirter said. "It doesn�t change with the fire season. We never have any burning here." With those restrictions in place, Mawhirter said Medford fire crews don�t respond to many reports of illegal burns. In Medford�s rural district, No. 2, community members can obtain burn permits from March 1 to the beginning of fire season, Mawhirter adds. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.