Beginning today at noon, the Washington County Fire Defense Board has enacted a High-Fire Danger Burn Ban. The Washington County agencies include: Banks Fire District #13, Cornelius Fire & Rescue, Forest Grove Fire & Rescue, Gaston Rural Fire District, Hillsboro Fire & Rescue, and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue. The High-Fire Danger Burn Ban is additionally in effect throughout TVF&R’s entire jurisdiction, including areas served in Washington, Multnomah, Clackamas, and Yamhill counties.

The burn ban prohibits all of the following:

1. All backyard or open burning (branches, yard debris, etc.).
2. All commercial and agricultural open burning (agricultural wastes, crops, field burning, etc.).
3. All other land clearing, slash, waste, or debris burning.

The burn ban does not prohibit: 

1. Outdoor grills, barbeques, smokers, and similar cooking appliances. 
2. Recreational fires in portable outdoor fireplaces, portable firepits, fire tables, and similar appliances used at one- and two-family dwellings 
3. Small backyard recreational fire pits in a safe location that burn clean, dry firewood, natural gas, or propane. Recreational fires must be attended at all times; there must be water, fire extinguisher or dirt, and shovel nearby; and fires must be fully extinguished after use. Additionally, the following rules apply to recreational fires:  

• Recreational fires must have a total fuel area less than 3 feet in diameter by 2 feet in height. · 
• Recreational fires shall be located on a noncombustible surface such as gravel or completely bare dirt and be located at least 25 feet from a structure or combustible materials. ·
•  All recreational fires are prohibited when a Red Flag Warning is in effect during the burn ban. Red Flag Warnings are widely advertised on local news, weather apps, and TVF&R social media and website platforms. Residents can check the NWS Portland Forecast at https://www.weather.gov/pqr/ to see if a Red Flag Warning is in effect in their area.

Outdoor fires in violation of this High-Fire Danger Burn Ban may be immediately extinguished. If a fire agency is required to respond and be used actively or on a standby basis in connection with the extinguishment or control of a fire that has been started or allowed to spread in willful violation of this burn ban, the person responsible may be liable for the costs incurred by the fire agency in controlling, extinguishing, or patrolling the fire, as well as legal fees per ORS 478.965.

The public will be notified when the burn ban is lifted. Visit your local fire agency’s website for more information.