Redmond Fire & Rescue will close outdoor debris burning for the season on June 1

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Beginning Saturday, June 1, Redmond Fire & Rescue will close all outdoor debris burns for the season, until further notice. During this closure, all outdoor debris burning is prohibited in all areas served by Redmond Fire & Rescue in Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties.

As a reminder, closing outdoor burns prohibits all of the following:

1. Burning in the yard or in the open air (branches, garden debris, etc.).

2. Agricultural burning (agricultural waste, crops, burning of fields, ditches, etc.).

3. Any other clearing, slash, stump, waste, debris or controlled burning.

The burning ban does not prohibit:

1. Small outdoor cooking, warming or recreational fires in residential properties. These include portable or permanent fire pits, fire tables and campfires, with a maximum fuel surface of three feet in diameter and two feet in height in a safe location away from combustibles or vegetation, and are completely turned off after use.

2. Barbecues, smokers, and similar cooking appliances using clean, dry firewood, briquettes, wood chips, pellets, propane, natural gas, or similar fuels.

There may be more restrictive fire safety regulations on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF). ODF restrictions may include bans on campfires, smoking, target shooting, motorized equipment, motorized vehicles, and other public/private restrictions relating to industrial fires and landowners. More details on ODF fire restrictions are available at Oregon Department of Forestry Public Fire Restrictions.

Exterior fires in violation of this closure may be immediately extinguished. If a fire department responds to a fire started in willful violation of this closure, the responsible person may be held liable for all costs incurred as well as legal fees under ORS 478.965. Burning restrictions are permitted under Oregon Revised Statute 478.960, Oregon Fire Code 307, and Redmond Fire & Rescue Order 5.

Deschutes County firefighters encourage the public to use extreme caution when engaging in activities that could start a fire. It is everyone's responsibility to prevent and prepare for wildfires. Residents are encouraged to continue to exercise caution and take steps to prevent and prepare for the threat of wildfires. Including:

Create a defensible space:

• Mow and water lawns.

• Remove brush, dry grass and leaves from under decks and crawl spaces.

• Limb tree branches 10 feet above the ground and well away from your roof.

• Plant low, fire-resistant plants near your home.

• Eliminate fuel sources near and around your home – firewood, fuel tanks, etc.

Maintaining access:

• The road or driveway leading to your home should be free of debris, dense vegetation and low-hanging branches. Service bays are necessary if the road or driveway leading to your home is not large enough for two-way traffic or if your home is located at the end of a long driveway or dead end .

• The driveway leading to your house should be designed without sharp curves or steep slopes.

• If it is necessary to cross a bridge to access your home, it must support 75,000 pounds.

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