Burn Bans on Indian Reservations in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington

There are no EPA Burn Bans currently in effect for reservations in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington

(Seattle, Wash. – February 7, 2012) Check with your local fire department or appropriate tribal agency for any local burning requirements.

When an EPA burn ban is in place, it applies to all outdoor and agricultural burning, including camping and recreational fires within reservation boundaries. Ceremonial and traditional fires are exempt from the outdoor burn ban.

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Coeur d'Alene, Nez Perce, and Quinault Tribes have delegation to call their own burn bans. Check with the tribal air quality staff to find out if burning is allowed.

EPA also requests that reservation residents reduce all sources of air pollution, including excess driving and idling of vehicles, and the use of woodstoves and fireplaces, unless it is your only source of heat.

Air pollution can have significant health impacts. Cooperation from the community will help people who are at risk during this period. Those most at risk are children, the elderly, pregnant women and those with difficulty breathing and with heart and lung problems. Those at risk should avoid outdoor exercise and minimize exposure to outdoor pollution as much as possible.

Please call 1-800-424-4EPA and ask for the FARR Hotline or visit the Federal Air Rules for Reservations (FARR) website for the current burn status at www.epa.gov/r10earth/FARR.htm.

Contact:  Gary Olson (olson.gary@epa.gov) at 206-553-0977, or Keith Rose (rose.keith@epa.gov) at 206-553-1949.

To receive burn ban announcements by email, please contact Gary Olson (olson.gary@epa.gov) at (206) 553-0997.

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If you live on one of the following Reservations, please check with the Tribe before burning:

• If you live on the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation, check the Coeur d'Alene Tribe Smoke Management website or call 1-800-345-1007 to find out whether burning is allowed.
• If you live on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation, check the Nez Perce Air Quality website or call 1-800- 720-4089 to find out whether burning is allowed. You must have a Nez Perce Reservation Burn Permit (issued for EPA by the Nez Perce Tribe) in order to conduct burning on the Nez Perce Reservation.
• If you live on the Quinault Indian Reservation, call (360) 276-8211, extension 484, to find out whether burning is allowed.
• If you live on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, check with the CTUIR Office of Air Quality at (541) 966-2477 to find out whether burning is allowed. You must have an Umatilla Reservation Burn Permit (issued for EPA by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation) in order to conduct burning on the Umatilla Reservation.

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If you live outside of an Indian Reservation, please contact your state or local air quality agency for more information about burn bans in your area:

Idaho
• Idaho Department of Environmental Quality - Residential Burning
Oregon
• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality - Backyard Burning
Washington
• Washington Department of Ecology - Home Heating Burn Bans
• Local Clean Air Agencies in Washington
• Washington Burn Bans

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Air Quality "Real Time" monitors

• AIRNow Daily Air Quality Index forecasts as well as real-time conditions for over 300 cities across the US, with links to more detailed state and local air quality Web sites.
• Puget Sound Regional Air Monitoring Network