Union County is slamming the brakes on open flames across most of its rural landscape, after fire officials warned that the combination of scorching weather and crispy vegetation has turned the area into prime wildfire fuel. Commissioners voted in a special session Wednesday to approve an immediate countywide burn ban across unincorporated areas, allowing only tightly regulated agricultural field burns and gas or pellet barbecues.
What the Ban Covers
According to Union County, the Board approved the ban under Ordinance 2024-02, following a recommendation from the county Fire Defense Board. The order applies to outdoor burning outside incorporated cities and, in the county’s words, means that “no fires of any kind are allowed except regulated agricultural field burning and gas or pellet barbeques.”
The ordinance spells out limited allowances and procedures for permitted agricultural burns and a few narrow exemptions, but for most residents it effectively shuts down outdoor burning until conditions improve.
Officials' Warning
In the county’s announcement, Emergency Manager Nick Vora did not sugarcoat the situation. Vora warned that “wildfire conditions in Union County have reached a dangerous level due to below-normal snowfall last winter and a dry spring,” and noted that multiple large fires across the region have already strained firefighting resources. That warning appears in the official release, Union County stated.
Forest Restrictions and State Orders
Beyond county lines, state and federal managers are tightening rules in the surrounding forests where jurisdictions overlap. A June 19 news release from the Oregon Department of Forestry, posted by the City of Joseph, placed ODF-protected lands in the Northeast Oregon District under High Fire Restrictions that prohibit campfires, smoking, open debris burning and certain engine and chainsaw uses.
The notice directs people to the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch for current forest orders and up-to-date details on what is and is not allowed in nearby public lands.
What Residents Should Do
County officials are urging residents to skip outdoor burning altogether, secure dry yard debris that could catch an ember, and use extra caution with any equipment that might throw sparks. The Union County Sheriff's Office shared the burn-ban notice on Facebook and reminded the public to call 911 to report smoke or any active fire.
Those who hold agricultural burn permits are being told to double-check current conditions and permit rules before lighting up a field, and to assume restrictions will be tight while fire danger remains elevated.
Regional Trend and Enforcement
Union County is not acting in a vacuum. Across Oregon, local governments are racing to stay ahead of peak fire season with similar crackdowns on burning.
Nearby Malheur County put its own countywide burn ban in place on June 12, according to Elkhorn Media Group. In the Willamette Valley, Washington County fire agencies rolled out high-fire restrictions beginning June 15, the City of Hillsboro reports.
Officials caution that any fire started in violation of these types of restrictions can be put out on the spot, and that violators may face fines or be held liable for suppression costs under state law.
For the latest on burn rules, residents are advised to check the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch site or contact their local fire district. County emergency information pages and the sheriff’s Facebook post carry the full text of the Union County order along with contact numbers for reporting smoke or fire.
