2021 Oregon Revised Statutes
Chapter 478 - Rural Fire Protection Districts
Section 478.960 - Burning of certain materials permitted only with permission of fire chief; damage or injury; burning schedules and restrictions.


(2) The fire chief shall prescribe conditions upon which permission is granted and which are necessary to be observed in setting the fire and preventing it from spreading and endangering life or property or endangering the air resources of this state. The Environmental Quality Commission shall notify the State Fire Marshal of the type of and time for burning to be allowed on each day under schedules adopted pursuant to ORS 468A.570 and ORS 468A.595. The State Fire Marshal shall cause all fire chiefs and their deputies in the affected area to be notified of the type and time for burning to be allowed on each day with updating messages each day as required. A fire chief or deputy shall grant permission only in accordance with the schedule of the Environmental Quality Commission but may reduce hours to be allowed for burning if necessary to prevent danger to life or property from fire. The State Fire Marshal may refuse, revoke or postpone permission when necessary in the judgment of the State Fire Marshal to prevent danger to life or property from fire, notwithstanding any determination by the fire chief.
(3) Nothing in this section relieves a person starting a fire from responsibility for providing adequate protection to prevent injury or damage to the person or property of another. If such burning results in the escape of fire and injury or damage to the person or property of another, such escape and damage or injury constitutes prima facie evidence that the burning was not safe.
(4) Within a district, no person shall, during the fire season declared under ORS 477.505, operate any equipment in forest harvesting or agricultural operations powered by an internal combustion engine on or within one-eighth of one mile of forestland unless each piece of equipment is provided with a fire extinguisher of sufficient size and capacity and with such other tools and fire-fighting equipment as may be reasonably required by the fire chief of the district. The provisions of this subsection do not apply to machinery regulated by ORS chapter 477.
(5) No person shall dispose of any building or building wreckage within a district by fire without having first secured permission therefor from the fire chief. No person shall refuse to comply with any reasonable requirements of the fire chief as to the safeguarding of such fire from spreading.
(6) This section is not intended to limit the authority of a district to adopt a fire prevention code as provided in ORS 478.910 to 478.940 or to issue permits when the burning is done by mechanical burners fired by liquefied petroleum gas.
(7) The fire chief shall maintain records of all permits and the conditions thereof, if any, that are issued for field burning under this section and shall submit at such times, as the Environmental Quality Commission shall require such records or summaries thereof to the commission. The Environmental Quality Commission shall provide forms for the reports required under this subsection.
(8) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section:
(a) A permit is required for field burning authorized pursuant to ORS 468A.550 to 468A.620 and 468A.992.
(b) For a permit for the propane flaming of mint stubble, the fire chief may only prescribe conditions necessary to prevent the spread of fire or to prevent endangering life or property and may refuse, revoke or postpone permission to conduct the propane flaming only when necessary to prevent danger to life or property from fire. [1955 c.469 §§1,2; 1959 c.363 §16; 1967 c.420 §1; 1967 c.438 §1; 1969 c.613 §3; 1969 c.667 §57; 1971 c.563 §9; 1973 c.832 §7b; 1975 c.635 §4; 1979 c.321 §1; 1989 c.615 §2; 1991 c.920 §22; 1997 c.274 §40; 1997 c.473 §6; 2009 c.790 §2]

Structure 2021 Oregon Revised Statutes

2021 Oregon Revised Statutes

Volume : 14 - Drugs and Alcohol, Fire Protection, Natural Resources

Chapter 478 - Rural Fire Protection Districts

Section 478.001 - Definitions.

Section 478.002 - Status of districts existing in 1957.

Section 478.004 - New district succeeds to and replaces abolished district.

Section 478.010 - Formation; territories that may not be included in districts.

Section 478.100 - Immaterial defects in organization not to invalidate district organization.

Section 478.155 - Formation of district with tax zones; contents of formation petition and order creating district; determination of tax levy in each zone; boundary changes.

Section 478.210 - Directors; organization; term; oath.

Section 478.215 - Position numbers for director election.

Section 478.221 - Nomination and election of directors.

Section 478.225 - Election subdistricts; petition for formation; election.

Section 478.231 - Election laws applicable.

Section 478.234 - Subdistricts for nomination or election of directors.

Section 478.240 - Special elections; electors.

Section 478.250 - Meetings and officers of board.

Section 478.260 - Fire chief; headquarters; fire evacuation routes; emergency medical services.

Section 478.270 - Reports of directors; State Fire Marshal cooperation; uniform forms.

Section 478.300 - Contracting with others to provide facilities and services for fire protection or road lighting; authority over open burning and fire permits; rules.

Section 478.305 - Contracting with others for mutual communication system; contracts in other states.

Section 478.308 - Contracting with others for regional oil and hazardous material emergency response team.

Section 478.310 - Response to fire or public safety incident outside its own territory by district or municipality; liability for costs.

Section 478.315 - Response to fire or public safety incident in Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area; payment of costs.

Section 478.335 - Contracts for medical and hospital services or insurance.

Section 478.340 - Payment of premiums or charges on contracts; employee contributions; multiple contracts.

Section 478.355 - Establishment of employee retirement system; provisions of plan.

Section 478.360 - Fund to provide retirement benefits.

Section 478.390 - Investments authorized to fund length of service awards for volunteer firefighters.

Section 478.410 - Power of district to levy taxes, borrow money, sell bonds and create fees.

Section 478.480 - Formation of tax zones; basis for zones; public hearing.

Section 478.485 - Notice of public hearing.

Section 478.490 - Election on question of dividing district into tax zones; order creating zones; effect.

Section 478.495 - Limitation on changes in tax zone boundaries.

Section 478.505 - Petition for tax zones by district electors; number of signatures required; public hearing.

Section 478.665 - Withdrawal of territory from district; inclusion in forest protection district; assessment.

Section 478.840 - Definitions for ORS 478.845 to 478.875.

Section 478.845 - Revenue bonds authorized for fire safety systems.

Section 478.850 - Sources of bond payment restricted.

Section 478.855 - Loan fund created from bond proceeds; other sources for fund.

Section 478.860 - Standards for eligibility for loans for fire safety systems.

Section 478.865 - Loan contract; repayment plan; terms and conditions.

Section 478.870 - Powers granted to enforce loan contracts and secure payment of bonds; reserve fund.

Section 478.875 - Remedies for breach of loan contract.

Section 478.880 - Legislative findings.

Section 478.885 - Payment or repayment for cost of fire safety system installation in multifamily housing.

Section 478.920 - Scope of fire prevention code.

Section 478.930 - Violation of code; failure to remove hazards; burning waste without permit prohibited.

Section 478.940 - Filing and posting of fire prevention code.

Section 478.960 - Burning of certain materials permitted only with permission of fire chief; damage or injury; burning schedules and restrictions.

Section 478.965 - Recovery by district of costs of suppressing unlawful fire; attorney fees.

Section 478.972 - Application by district to State Fire Marshal for identification name.

Section 478.990 - Penalties.