Outdoor burning banned in Lane County

In response to the growing number of Lane County residents infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19), a respiratory illness, the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA) will ban all outdoor burning activities in Lane County. This ban begins April 5, 2020 and continues until further notice.

LRAPA remains sensitive to the need for outdoor burning to manage and maintain lands. However, smoke from local fires may result in numerous negative consequences for the public.

· COVID-19 patients recovering at home may have their condition worsen, or recovery slowed.

· Exposure to smoke may increase the risk of contracting respiratory diseases such as COVID-19, as well as increase the severity of such infections.

· Smoke inhalation creates upper respiratory symptoms which may be incorrectly attributed to COVID-19 resulting in unnecessary testing or self-isolation.

· Personal protective equipment designed to reduce smoke exposure is in a severe shortage.

· First responders and other emergency services, already operating at reduced capacity, have limited resources to respond to out-of-control burns.

LRAPA encourages alternatives to burning. Paper products can be recycled instead of burned, vegetation can be placed in a compost pile, yard debris can be taken to a recycling location, and old lumber can be salvaged and reused.

Violations of this ban can be reported by calling 541-726-1930, or by visiting: https://www.lrapa.org/FormCenter/Online-Complaint-3/Online-Complaint-Form-43 />

LRAPA works to ensure the safety and well-being of Lane County residents. The current pandemic is fluid and changing. LRAPA’s planning and decision-making will be based on the most current information.

The latest COVID-19 updates from Lane County Public Health (LCPH) can be found by calling their Non-Emergency Call Center at 541-682-1380 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. daily. Or visit: https://lanecounty.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=3585881&pageId=16503774 />

The latest information from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) can be found here: https://govstatus.egov.com/OR-OHA-COVID-19 />

The latest information from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html