2007 Klamath Falls Burning Information

When is it OK to burn?

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Helpful Information About Indoor and Outdoor Burning in Klamath Falls

The bulk of the information below pretains to indoor and outdoor burning for those that live in the Air Quality Zone. However, there is information as well for those that live outside the zone.

We've lived in Klamath Falls since 1987. Since that time, there has been a strong concerted effort to clean-up our air quality. The Herald and News, our local newspaper, publishes information on our air quality. Did you know that Klamath Falls has some of the poorest air quality in the state? In 2005, Klamath Falls was seventh out of twenty-seven cities that had fewer than 300 days of good air! This year during the month of January, Klamath Falls had only six days of good air quality.1 What can you do to help?

Want to know if it is OK to burn outside?(also known as open burning)

  • Call 882-BURN (2876)
    • This year during the fall open burning period, air quality was so bad that there were only a couple of days where burning was allowed.
    • Outdoor or open burning has been limited to two weeks in the fall and two weeks in the spring for those living within the Air Quality Zone. You should only burn yard trash. This means pine needles, tree branches, leaves, etc. You can't burn garbage, tires, or plastic.
    • When you call the above number, LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE report!!!!!. They give the wood stove or indoor report and then the information on outside/outdoor/open burning! If they don't reopen open burning, your next chance to burn will be in the Spring 2008. Typically there will be an announcement in the newspaper.
      • Read the next section below on wood stove use because it contains additional information about open burning on yellow and red days.
    • If you decide that it just isn't worth the effort to call, or if you think it is OK to burn because you saw someone else burning, your neighbor will probably report you if it isn't OK to burn!! Check the number before you burn and if you see someone in your neighborhood burning that shouldn't, give them the number to call.
    • If education fails, report an offender by calling 911 and giving the operator the name and address of the offender. Typically a fire truck with be dispatched and they will make the neighbor put the fire out. If the neighbor re-lights the fire, they can be issued a citation! First offenses are $600-$1000.
    • Burn barrels are not currently regulated.
    • The phone number above is the ONLY source for up-to-date information. There is no URL to direct you to, and there is no sign posted in town with the information
    • If you live outside the Air Quality Zone, outdoor burning is allowed expect during Yellow or Red advisories. This means anytime during the year when the advisory is Green, you can burn outside.

Want to know if it is OK to use your wood stove?

  • Call 882-BURN (2876)
    • Klamath Falls introduced an advisory schedule based on colors used for traffic lights
      • Green Green
      • YellowLight Yellow
        • Only EPA certified wood stoves and fireplaces may be used within the Air Quality Zone. Open burning is prohibited countywide.
        • Not sure you have an EPA certified wood stove? Visit the Klamath County Environment Health web site: http://www.co.klamath.or.us/EH/index.html The have a link with an extensive list of stoves.
      • Red light Red
        • No woodstoves or fireplaces whether certified or uncertified can be used within the Air Quality Zone. Only EPA certified pellet stoves may be used within the Air Quality Zone. Open burning is prohibited countywide
    • The information in the outdoor/open burn section on reporting an offender also applies here. Ditto for the phone number.
    • If you think that your neighbor is not using a certified wood stove or fireplace on the yellow days or a pellet stove on red days, you can contact the Klamath County Environment Health agency. You need to provide the neighbor's name and address and they will send out an investigator to the neighbor's house. Your name will be kept confidential, so you shouldn't worry about retaliation. The investigator will ensure that the neighbor is in compliance.
    • If your neighbor lives outside the Air Quality Zone, your out of luck! They can burn their inside stove, whatever it is, anytime they want.

How good is the air today?

  • Visit the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, DEQ, web site, http://www.deq.state.or.us/aqi/index.aspx
  • If Klamath Falls isn't listed, check back a little later. They update information frequently. New readings are available at approximately 10 minutes past the hour. Use the "Refresh" or "Reload" buttons in your browser to see the most current values.
  • There is a lot of information here. For example, you can learn what constitutes good air and how the DEQ rates air using the Air Quality Index, AQI

Where can I get more information?

  • Visit the Klamath County Environment Health web site, http://www.co.klamath.or.us/EH/index.html
  • They have an extensive list of pdf's with concise answers to most questions. You can also find contact numbers and email address for officials. I've had a good response to emails, usually within 24 hours during the week. They also have another phone number that was not listed on the site, 883-1122.

Final Note

  • I hope you found this information helpful.
  • If you need additional assistance with the information on this page, contact me here by email.
  • This is an UNOFFICIAL web site!!! I posted this information because it is hard to find! I received no reimbursement from state or local agencies for posting this information. To the best of my knowledge, all the information was accurate.

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Last updated 3/14/2008
Copyright 2007 Louis Du Brey. All rights reserved.
This site is maintained by Basin Audiology For questions about this site, email Louis Du Brey