Before you light it, make sure you can control it.

A backyard cleanup should not become a neighborhood emergency.

Here in Umatilla, dry vegetation and changing winds demand attention whenever outdoor fire is involved. A burn pile, escaping ember, or unattended fire can put nearby homes and people at risk.

Umatilla Rural Fire Protection District asks everyone planning an outdoor burn to check requirements, prepare the site, and remain responsible for the fire until it is completely extinguished.

Check first. Prepare carefully. Stay until it’s out.

 

Can I Burn Today?

Check both air-quality conditions and fire restrictions.

Before each burn:

1. Check Umatilla County’s daily burn information. Call 541-278-6397 or visit the County’s burning information page.
2. Check District restrictions and permit conditions. A County burn-day designation does not override a District restriction.
3. Confirm the authorized hours. Follow any delayed start or other restriction announced for that day.
4. Evaluate conditions at your property. Permission to burn does not mean every location is safe.

If the information is unclear, contact us before lighting.

Check Daily Burn Information →

Get the Right Permit

A permit is part of the preparation.

The District provides residential outdoor burning permit information online and at the McNary Station.

Review the permit before burning. Confirm that it applies to your property, the material you intend to burn, and the type of fire you are planning.

Agricultural, commercial, land-clearing, and other specialized burning may involve additional approvals. Contact us before assuming a residential permit covers your project.

Submitting an application is not permission to begin burning. Confirm any required approval first.

Burn Permit Information →

Burn Only Approved Materials

An outdoor fire is not a disposal service.

Confirm which materials your permit allows. Permission to burn vegetation does not authorize burning household garbage or construction waste.

Do not burn prohibited materials, including:

• Plastic, tires, and rubber products.
• Petroleum products and asphalt materials.
• Painted, stained, coated, or treated wood.
• Plywood, particleboard, or oriented strand board.
• Wire insulation, vehicle parts, and food waste.

If you do not know what a material contains, do not put it in the fire.

Prepare Before You Light

Have control measures ready, not on the way.

Before ignition, confirm that your site meets the applicable permit conditions.

• Locate the burn away from structures and combustible materials.
• Clear surrounding vegetation and debris.
• Have enough water, suitable tools, and capable adult supervision immediately available.
• Keep children, pets, and spectators away.
• Plan how you will extinguish the entire fire.
• Maintain access for emergency responders.

Never leave an active or smoldering fire unattended.

If you cannot safely manage the burn from ignition through final extinguishment, postpone it.

Watch the Wind

Conditions can change after the fire starts.

Keep monitoring conditions throughout the burn. Stop adding material and extinguish the fire if conditions become unsafe.

Follow every weather limit in your permit. The District’s posted residential permit prohibits burning when winds reach 10 mph or greater, temperatures exceed 90°F, or relative humidity falls below 20 percent.

Those limits are not a guarantee of safety. Gusts, surrounding fuels, and smoke movement still matter.

Fire Pits, Burn Barrels & Agricultural Burns

Different fires can have different requirements.

Do not assume that permission for one type of burning covers another.

Recreational fires, portable fireplaces, burn barrels, and agricultural burns may have different separation distances, equipment requirements, or restrictions. A fire used to dispose of waste does not become a recreational fire simply because it is inside a fire ring.

Confirm the requirements for your specific activity and location before starting.

Think About Where the Smoke Goes

Smoke affects neighboring homes, businesses, and people with breathing conditions. It can also create a visibility hazard on roads.

Consider the surroundings before ignition. If smoke is creating a hazard, stop adding material and safely extinguish the fire.

Whenever possible, choose an alternative: chipping, composting suitable yard material, or using an approved disposal facility.

Removing debris does not always require a match.

Finished Burning? Finish Extinguishing.

Do not judge a fire by the absence of flames. Smoldering material and buried heat need attention.

Remain with the burn while you thoroughly extinguish it. Use water and appropriate tools to expose and cool remaining hot material. Do not leave until the entire burn is completely out.

“It will burn itself out” is not a safe closing plan.

If the Fire Escapes, Call 911 Immediately

Do not delay reporting while trying to handle a spreading fire yourself.

Move to safety and tell dispatch:

• The address or closest road and landmark.
• What is burning.
• Whether people or structures are threatened.
• Any access concerns responders should know.

Keep access clear and follow dispatch instructions.

Help Us Keep a Routine Day Routine

Before you burn, think beyond the pile. Think about the home next door, the road nearby, and the people who could be affected if conditions change.

Your preparation matters. So does the decision to wait.

When conditions are wrong, the safest burn is the one you postpone