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| What is Open Burning? |
Open
burning is any burning outdoors that does not pass through a stack,
duct, or chimney. This includes outdoor residential, agricultural,
and prescribed burning.
Open
burning also applies to material that is burned in burn barrels,
air curtain destructors, or other such devices. In Idaho, open burning
is regulated by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) as
well as other state, tribal, and
local government agencies. |
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Health and Other
Impacts |
| Smoke
from open burning pollutes the air with a mixture of fine particles
and gases. All types of open burning can affect the air we breathe.
What goes up doesn’t
immediately go away. And burners may be held legally responsible
for any damages or injury caused by open burning.
Smoke from all types of open burning can:
- Make breathing difficult
- Cause or contribute to serious health
problems
- Impair visibility
- Create road and aviation safety problems
- Be a nuisance to neighbors
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Alternatives to
Burning |
Burning
can waste valuable resources. To prevent this, some open burning
can be minimized through better planning, reuse, or recycling. Yard
trimmings and other
vegetative matter can be composted. Newspaper and cardboard can
be recycled. Brush, prunings, and wood waste can be turned into
usable products such as wood
chips or paperboard.
However,
open burning may be necessary when reasonable alternatives do not
exist. This may be the case for some types of agricultural burning
as well as prescribed
burns on forest and rangelands. Contact the local solid waste program
or district health department for more information on alternatives
to burning. |
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| Types of Burning |
Residential Solid
Waste Burning |
Residents
may burn solid waste (rubbish, tree leaves, yard trimmings, gardening
waste, etc.) if no scheduled house-to-house solid waste collection
service is available and the burning is conducted on the property
where the waste was generated.
Residents also may burn
tree leaves, yard trimmings, or gardening waste if allowed by local
ordinance or rule and conducted on the property where the waste
was generated. more
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Prescribed Burning |
| Prescribed
burning is the open burning of forest and rangeland to accomplish
land management objectives such as improving wildlife habitat, restoring
or maintaining ecosystem health, and reducing fire hazard.
Idaho and Montana operate a joint smoke management program for land
managers who conduct a "major" amount of prescribed burning.
The purpose of the program is to minimize smoke impacts from prescribed
fire. more
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| Burning Restrictions |
| Burning restrictions are contained in the
Rules for the Control of Air Pollution in Idaho (Sections 600-617)
(pdf on Department of Administration web site)
and are applicable statewide. Follow these guidelines: |
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Maybe —
Check First |
| The
following burning activities are allowed only under specified conditions.
Contact the DEQ Regional
Office nearest you for more information.
- Recreational and warming fires
- Weed control along fence lines and ditches
- Fire training
- Residential solid waste burning
- Orchard fires
- Prescribed burning
- Crop residue burning
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Prohibited |
| Burning
of the following processed or manufactured materials is prohibited.
(Certain exemptions may apply.)
- Garbage from food preparation
- Dead animals or animal
waste
- Junk motor vehicles or parts
- Tires or other rubber materials
- Plastics
- Asphaltic materials
- Tar and petroleum materials
- Paints
- Preservative-treated wood
- Trade waste (commercial,
industrial, or construction waste)
- Insulated wire
- Pathogenic waste
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Additional Burn
Restrictions |
| DEQ
may issue health advisories and burn restrictions based on weather
and air quality conditions. Notices are generally issued in the
morning, but may be issued
other times as needed. Notices are announced through the media (internet,
radio, television, newspapers).
Be aware that local ordinances may
further restrict or prohibit open burning. Always check with your
local fire protection service to find out if burn restrictions are
in effect or permits are required due to fire danger. Note that
DEQ does not issue burn permits. If you live within the exterior
boundaries of an Indian reservation, check with the tribal air quality
or fire protection offices.
To find out about air
quality conditions or any DEQ-issued burn restrictions in your area,
visit DEQ's Daily Air Quality Reports
Web page or call:
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Greater
Sandpoint
(800)
633-6247 |
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Kootenai
County
(800)
633-6247 |
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Pocatello/Chubbuck
(208) 236-6173 |
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Silver
Valley
(800)
633-6247 |
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Treasure
Valley
(208) 373-0313 |
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| Proper Burning Basics |
DEQ
recommends that burners:
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Use alternatives to burning to
dispose of material whenever possible. |
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Check with local fire protection service about
permit requirements. |
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Check with DEQ about air quality conditions
and any burn restrictions. |
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Burn during the middle of the day when ventilation
is generally good. Inversions and still air keep smoke low to
the ground at night. |
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Burn when fuels are dry and well aerated so
the fire is hot, yet manageable. Wet or dirt covered materials
will smolder and create more smoke. |
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Build piles in open areas away from overhead
branches and wires. |
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Scrape away burnable materials several feet
around piles. The result should be bare soil. |
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Never leave fire unattended and have fire
suppression equipment and water available. You can be held responsible
for any damage caused by a fire that gets out of control. |
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Burn at least 50 feet away from any structure. |
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Test burn a small area prior to burning. |
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If a burn has the potential to cause visibility
hazards on roadways, contact the local or state transportation
agency prior to burning for applicable traffic control requirements. |
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| Reducing Smoke Exposure |
| DEQ
recommends that burners:
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Follow proper burning basics. |
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Provide adequate fire breaks to maintain control,
especially downwind |
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Minimize burning time to minimize exposure. |
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Rotate workers out of heavy smoke areas frequently. |
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Notify local area prior to burning. |
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Be aware of signs of over exposure to smoke
such as fatigue and illness. |
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Include smoke impacts in job hazard training. |
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| When smoke levels become a problem,
DEQ recommends that citizens: |
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Stay indoors or seek clean air facilities. |
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Reduce indoor activities that generate dust
(cooking, vacuuming, etc.). |
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Use air conditioners in cars and homes (close
fresh
air intake). |
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Keep windows and doors closed if not too hot
outside. |
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Reduce or avoid exertion. |
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Use an indoor humidifier for breathing relief. |
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People with asthma should follow their asthma
management plan. |
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Seek medical treatment if you have trouble
breathing. |
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Report any smoke impacts to DEQ or other appropriate
agencies. |
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For
More Information |
On
DEQ's Web Site |
| Crop Residue Burning. How agricultural burning is regulated in Idaho. |
| Burn Bans. How and
when burn bans are issued and how to find out if there's a burn
ban in your area. |
| Health
and Air Pollution. Learn about the health impacts of various
pollutants. |
| Prohibitions
Against Burning Trade Waste. How trade waste burning prohibitions
impact contractors and builders and Confined Animal Feeding
Operations (CAFOs). |
| Residential "Backyard"
Burning. How residential outdoor burning
is regulated in Idaho. |
| Wildland Fires.
How fires that occur in undeveloped areas including public forests
and rangelands, woodlots, and private timberlands are regulated
in Idaho. |
| Wood Stoves.
Learn about DEQ's statewide wood stove program designed to encourage
the use of cleaner-burning wood stoves. |
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DEQ
and Other Agency Contacts |
DEQ
Regional Offices
Local DEQ air quality
staff can answer questions and provide information on permit requirements,
air quality conditions, and options to reduce, reuse, and recycle
waste. |
| Idaho
Department of Lands
>
(208) 769-1535 |
|
Tribes
in Northern Idaho
>
Coeur d'Alene Tribe: (208) 686-1800
>
Kootenai Tribe of Idaho: (208) 267-3519
>
Nez Perce Tribe: (208) 843-7300, ext. 2401 |
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U.S.
Bureau of Land Management
>
(Idaho office): (208) 373-3873 |
|
U.S. Forest
Service
>
North Idaho: (406)
329-3511
>
South Idaho: (801)
625-5306 |
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