EPA Issues Air Quality Advisory and Open Burning Ban for Reservations in Oregon and Washington
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 has issued a ban on open burning for all reservations in Oregon and Washington State, due to smoke from large wildfires. This ban takes effect immediately and will remain in effect until further notice.
The burn ban applies to all outdoor and agricultural burning—including camping and recreational fires—in all areas within external reservation boundaries regardless of ownership or tribal membership. Ceremonial and traditional fires are exempt from the burn ban. For areas outside reservation boundaries, please contact your local clean air agency, fire department, or department of ecology.
EPA requests that reservation residents reduce all sources of air pollution as much as possible, including driving and idling of vehicles.
Air pollution can harm your health and can have lasting effects. Community cooperation with the ban will help people who are most at risk, including children, the elderly, pregnant women, people with asthma or difficulty breathing, diabetes, heart problems or otherwise compromised health. These sensitive groups should avoid outdoor exercise and minimize exposure to outdoor pollution as much as possible. Under the most severe pollution levels all residents should restrict their activities.
The burn ban is effective immediately. This burn ban may be downgraded or removed depending on air quality and weather conditions. Please check our website for the latest information: https://www.epa.gov/farr/burn-bans-indian-reservations-id-or-and-wa
# # #
To check conditions in your area, go to http://www.airnow.gov/ .
For current burn ban status, please visit https://waburnbans.net/, the tribal air quality office at (509) 865-5121 Ext. 6078 or 1-509-945-6675, or the EPA at 1-800-424-4372, email to R10_farrhotline@epa.gov.
Please check our website for the latest information: https://www.epa.gov/farr
# # #