Washington County burn ban to begin June 15

Backyard burning, agricultural burning and all other open burning will be prohibited across Washington County beginning at 12:01 a.m. Monday, June 15, under a high-fire danger burn ban announced Wednesday by the county's fire agencies. The ban takes effect the same morning fire season begins on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry across northwest Oregon, including the Tillamook State Forest and much of Gales Creek, Buxton, Timber and Manning. Every fire agency in the county is enacting the ban on the recommendation of the Washington County Fire Defense Board and in alignment with ODF: Banks Fire District #13, Cornelius Fire Department, Forest Grove Fire & Rescue, Gaston Rural Fire District, Hillsboro Fire & Rescue and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue. Under the ban, all of the following are prohibited: * Backyard or open burning, including branches and yard debris * Agricultural burning, including agricultural waste, crops and field burning * Any other land clearing, slash, stump, waste, debris or controlled burning Small cooking, warming and recreational fires are still allowed, including portable and permanent fire pits, fire tables and campfires with a fuel area no larger than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height, in a safe location away from combustibles and vegetation, and fully extinguished after use. Barbecue grills and smokers using clean, dry firewood, briquettes, wood chips, pellets, propane or natural gas are also allowed. Stricter rules may apply on and within an eighth of a mile of ODF-protected land throughout much of rural Washington County, where restrictions can extend to campfires, smoking, target shooting, powered equipment and motorized vehicles. Current restrictions are posted on ODF's fire restrictions map. When fire season opens Monday, ODF plans to set a Regulated Use level of Low for the public and an Industrial Fire Precaution Level of 1 across its three northwest Oregon zones. Burning debris on ODF-protected land is prohibited without a permit at all times during fire season. National Weather Service forecasts call for a hot stretch as the ban begins: 89 degrees Saturday, 95 Sunday and 97 Monday in the Forest Grove area. Outdoor fires that violate the ban may be immediately extinguished, and anyone who starts a fire in willful violation of the ban may be liable for response costs and legal fees, the agencies said. "Fire chiefs in Washington County encourage the public to use extreme caution with activities that could start a fire," the announcement said. "It is everyone's responsibility to prevent and be prepared for wildfires." Residents can sign up for fire season text alerts in ODF's Forest Grove, Tillamook and Astoria districts by texting "NWOA" to 877-274-4067. For most area readers, the local ODF office is in Forest Grove, at 503-357-2191.