Looking across the Willamette Valley before 2010 during the summer months almost looked like a war-zone. But, since the advocation from senate, The Western Environmental Law Center and the public field burning in the Willamette Valley gets halted and now falls under Senate Bill 528 through the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA).
Clean air is something all of us need in order to stay alive but, quality, clean air is something we all have a right to. During the field burnings in the Willamette Valley the skies and quality of air was found to affect, not only the skies but also threatened the public health in children, the elderly and those with respiratory disease and lung issues.
The bill, since adopted, prohibits open field burning in the Willamette Valley starting in 2010, with the exception of two things. The first exception is that of reducing the amount of burning that falls under what is known as, "identified species and steep terrain burning" from the land and acreage in and around Marion, Clackamas and Linn Counties of Oregon. The second exception would allow "emergency burning" of up to 2,000 acres in any given year per DEQ approval.
This "Bill", before taken in effect, brought about a lot of heavy opposition from the grass seed industry due to the fact that many seed companies claim that the field burning cuts down on illness and other disease through the burn in order to address fields where there is a serious disease outbreak or insect infestation. Which is why the second exception would allow for these burns to continue is such an outbreak were to occur. With other restrictions being on stack burning and propane flaming allowable until at or around 2013 and not thereafter.
With Oregon being such a dry climate and heavier during the months and season known as summer, there is a lot of cheering from local fire departments on this discontinuing of field burning, as well. And with the doubling of registration and burn fees it cuts down also on those trying to burn without notice that could potentially spark other out of control-type fires. Other sections of SB 528 prohibits burning in 'critical non-burn areas" where there are power transmission lines or other causes for concern.
In 2009 a gathering was organized by "Clear Skies: A Community Celebration of the End of Field Burning" was held in the Willamette Valley and was a way for the community to come together to celebrate clean air and gather information on the subject. Since that time the field burning has been cut down and even halted in many areas but, now the dust clouds roll from farmers plowing the dirt fields and still some complain that it's too much.
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