Q: Why do farmers burn grass seed fields?

A: Fire is a natural part of the grass plants life cycle. Grass seed in Union County is a perennial crop, meaning it is planted one year and then harvested for several years after that without replanting. After harvest each year the farmer needs to remove as much of the old residue as possible to ready the plant for the next years crop. Open field burning is the most effective and economical method to remove the residue. As a tool it effectively controls many diseases, sanitizes fields, stimulates growth, helps produce a higher quality seed and destroys “second generation” seeds that ensure seed purity. Field burning also helps to control weed, seed, and insect problems, which reduces the use of chemicals.

Q: Why do farmers burn cereal crop fields?

A: Burning off the old residue allows farmers to plant directly into the soil without having to plow or otherwise disturb the ground. This practice is known as no-till or direct seeding. No-till is being encouraged more and more to reduce wind and water erosion. No-till may occasionally be used without burning, but if the residue is too heavy or a weed or disease problem exists then burning is necessary.

Q: Who decides which days are burn days?

A: Burn season begins June 15th and lasts until September 30th. To have optimum burn conditions with the least impact on others, growers try to burn when the weather conditions, field conditions, and dispersion forecast are all optimum. The smoke management center in Imbler gathers weather data and a forecast each weekday during the burning season. If the conditions are right they allow one initial fire called a test fire. If the smoke from the test fire is dispersing correctly then more burning will be allowed. There is never any open field burning on Sundays or holidays. While this is not a state mandated regulation, growers in Union County have made Sundays, holidays and Union County Fair week off-limits in an effort to minimize any impact the smoke might have. There will be occasional burning on Saturdays.

Q: Why can’t the burning be done all at once, or on a pre-scheduled basis?

A: State and Federal laws would prohibit significant uncontrolled emission of pollutants. In addition, farmers are not capable of doing all the burning at once. If any fires escaped, our rural fire districts would have difficulty controlling them. All days are not ‘ideal’ for minimizing smoke impact. The objective of smoke management is to match burn levels to the airshed’s dispersion capabilities while minimizing smoke impacts. To do this, the Smoke Management Office specifies the times, places and amount of burning to be allowed. This is continually re-evaluated and adjusted throughout the burn day by tracking smoke drift, plume rise and indications of shifting winds.

Q: What is the difference between open field burning and propaning?

A: An open field burn is when the straw from the crop is left on the field and used as a fuel to carry the fire across the field and burn the other residue, which is not as flammable. With the straw from the field baled, they will use a propane flamer to help burn the field. A 30-foot wide flamer will have torches placed every eight or ten inches along its width. By driving slowly across the field, a farmer can burn each plant using the propane as fuel. Open field burns are the ones that result in large columns of smoke rising up into the air that can be seen from a distance. Propane flaming produces less visible smoke. Because the farmer has to cover the entire field, propaning takes much longer. Usually it is also necessary to go over the field a second time two or three days later when conducting a propane flaming burn. Propane flaming does not burn as hot as an open burn and doesn’t work in all conditions.

Q: Why don’t farmers bale and/or propane all their fields?

A: Propaning is expensive, which makes it economically prohibitive, however, the majority of farmers have committed to reducing smoke impacts. Perhaps more significantly, the fire does not burn as hot, so controlling disease and pests is not as optimal as open burns. Also of importance, the baled straw has a limited market. A world market for straw has been developed with the help of Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Research and Development department and a large percentage is shipped overseas for uses such as power production, mushroom growing, and animal bedding. A surprising amount is used for cover for overwintering protection on crops like carrots. The straw is not a viable or nutritious feed. In past times when farmers put the straw residue into stacks, these stacks were then burned, creating the same scenarios as we are dealing with now.

Q: Does complaining do any good?

A: Complaints provide supplemental information on the extent and location of smoke problems, although the Smoke Management Office does have observers and measuring devices that are monitoring air quality. Often, burning can’t be stopped before a smoke problem develops, and there is little that can be done but wait for clearing. Complaints are tabulated and reported to the County Commissioners, the Smoke Management Review Committee, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Department.

Q: What is being done to solve the smoke problem over the long run?

A: ODA operates an extensive research program each year for developing alternatives to field burning. For the 1997-99 biennium over $1,000,000 has been budgeted for research and development. Projects include developing alternative crops, alternative field management practices, and straw utilization. This program is continuous, and funding comes primarily from fees paid by grass seed growers.

Q: Who has responsibility for slash burning, and isn’t slash burning under the same rules as the field burning program?

A: The Oregon Department of Forestry is responsible for managing the smoke from slash burning, which occurs throughout much of the year. It operates under a smoke management plan to try to minimize smoke intrusions into populated areas.