Or. Admin. R. 629-048-0210

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 6, June 1, 2024

Section 629-048-0210 - Best Burn Practices; Emission Reduction Techniques

(1) "Best burn practices" as used in this rule refers to those practices designed to minimize emissions from prescribed burning or accomplish burning at times and under such conditions as to minimize the likelihood that emissions will have adverse effects to the air quality maintenance or visibility objectives (OAR 629-048-0120 and 629-048-0130). Additional practices not described in this rule may be necessary to ensure against the escape of fire or protection of forest resources.

(2) In general, best burn practices involve methods that ensure the most rapid and complete combustion of forest fuels while nearby, "non-target" fuels are prevented from burning, such as:

(a) Physical separation of "target" and "non-target" fuels;

(b) Burn prescriptions, particularly for broadcast burns, that recognize and utilize the natural differences in fuel moistures of larger and smaller pieces of woody material; or

(c) Covering of piles sufficient to facilitate ignition and complete combustion, and then burning them at times of the year when all other fuels are damp, when it is raining or there is snow on the ground.

(3) Rapid combustion is well served by rapid ignition which may involve the use of petroleum accelerants (with appropriate safety precautions) and by maintaining an adequate air supply to the forest fuels being burned. Piles and windrows should be mostly free of soil, rocks and other non-combustible materials and should be loosely stacked to promote aeration. Where practicable, re-stacking or "feeding" the burn pile is encouraged to complete combustion and avoid smoldering.

(4) When piles are covered as a best burn practice and the covers are to be removed before burning, any effective materials may be used, as long as they are removed for re-use or properly disposed of. When covers will not be removed and thus will be burned along with the piled forest fuels, the covers must not consist of materials prohibited under OAR 340-264-0060(3), except that polyethylene sheeting that complies with the following may be used:

(a) Only polyethylene may be used. All other plastics are prohibited;

(b) The size of each polyethylene cover may vary as necessary to achieve rapid ignition and combustion.

(5) The use of petroleum accelerants and polyethylene covers as "best burn practices" described in this rule is expressly intended as an exception to OAR 340-264-0060(3) as allowed by 340-264-0060.

(6) In general, rapid mop-up of prescribed burning is not needed to meet the objectives of the prescribed burn and protect air quality. However, in instances of prescribed burning within an SSRA or when conditions change significantly from those forecasted or present at the time of ignition, rapid mop-up may become necessary to prevent a smoke intrusion. Burn plans required under OAR 629-043-0026(4), prescribed fire plans required by federal land management agency policy, or burn permits required under ORS 477.515, when appropriate, should address conditions that may require mop-up of the prescribed burn and to what extent.

(7) When local conditions for smoke dispersal appear to be better than forecasted, burn bosses and field administrators are encouraged to communicate such information to the Smoke Management forecast unit, to further the objective of accomplishing burning during the most favorable conditions.

(8) As described in 629-048-0450(2)(c), the department shall complete an annual report summarizing the use of emission reduction techniques.

Or. Admin. R. 629-048-0210

DOF 4-2007, f. 12-31-07, cert. ef. 1-1-08; DOF 2-2014, f. & cert. ef. 7-11-14; DOF 1-2019, amend filed 02/15/2019, effective 3/1/2019

Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 477.013, 477.562, 526.016 & 526.041

Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 477.013, 477.515 & 477.562