City of Bend considers allowing limited debris, vegetation burning in hard-to-reach areas

Burn ban was enacted in 2010 - but officials say it might be best option in some places

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – For more than a decade, the city of Bend has banned open burning of yard debris, also known as backyard burning, within the city limits. But officials are proposing an exception to the rules, to remove vegetation that could fuel wildfires in some hard-to-reach locations.

The 2010 ordinance has some exceptions already – from campfires, warming fires and cooking fires to weed control by the city, county or state and training fires. But the rules ban burning of garbage, yard debris, construction or demolition waste or field, ditch or weed burning (which are allowed in the rural fire district outside the city limits.

The city council will hold a hearing and first reading of an ordinance Wednesday evening to amend the city code and allow some burning in city limits, with the fire marshal’s approval.

Unlike rural areas outside the city where burning is allowed, Bend residents have to haul away vegetation debris, recycle it or chip/mulch the material and distribute it on their property.

Deputy Fire Chief Jason Bolen notes in a council issue summary, "Due to the unique geographic features of Central Oregon, there are locations within the city limits in which debris cannot be physically removed from the property it originates from. Steep canyons, sheer rock walls, and other topography make debris removal impossible, while these same factors prevent the use of chippers or mechanical macerators."

"In these special situations, with the consultation and approval of the Fire Marshal, an amendment to the open burning ordinance is being proposed to allow supervised burning of debris by qualified forestry professionals," Bolen added.

"Without a solution, the vegetation will remain on site," he wrote, "and over time will pose a significant
fire hazard in terrain which is difficult to impossible for firefighters to safely reach and operate within."

The proposed ordinance notes that the current limits "have made it difficult for the city … to address the need to consider using burning as a fuels reduction method, where appropriate, to mitigate fire risk to persons and property in the city."

It also says that at least one neighborhood has been seeking to create defensible space between the Deschutes River Canyon and homes, in an area where it might be the most appropriate and/or feasible means of fuel reduction - but it's not allowed under the current code.

Under the proposed change, the fire marshal or designee would develop a burn plan for the property, including predicted weather conditions, “to ensure a clean burn during weather conditions that will lift the smoke into the atmosphere, preventing smoke from pooling in neighborhoods, or wind conditions to spread fire,” the official said.

Fire officials also propose notifying property owners and/or residents within 1,000 feet of the proposed burn site, providing details of what's planned and who to contact, before a permit is issued.