Due to high heat and elevated ozone levels this weekend, health officials are issuing a mandatory wood burning restriction for residents in Multnomah County. The restriction comes alongside the Multnomah County Fire Defense Board issued burn bans for fire safety. This is the first warm season wood-burning restriction, also called a red day, of 2024.
The County’s air quality burn restriction goes into effect today at noon, and will be lifted when conditions improve, which is expected later this weekend. Recreational fires, agricultural burning and backyard burning are not allowed. These restrictions do not apply to cooking, but residents are encouraged to stay alert and use caution. Residents should check air quality before opening doors or windows and adjust or limit outdoor activities.
“We encourage people to limit burning to keep the air clean and healthy so we can all celebrate outside this holiday weekend,” said Air Quality Program Specialist Jonathan Cruz. “There have been many messages about fire safety this weekend and our message adds to the voices urging caution and care for others.”
Air with high ozone levels can be unhealthy to breathe. Ozone can bring on asthma attacks and affect the health of sensitive individuals, including those with respiratory and heart issues, older adults, young children, and people who are living or being active outdoors.
Ground-level ozone is a respiratory irritant, created when pollutants emitted by gas-powered equipment, cars, factories, and power plants (for example) interact with heat from the sun. It is the most persistent air pollutant problem during high transit times such as afternoons, weekends and warmer months, with the exception of wildfire smoke.
Exposure to ozone can contribute to existing health disparities across race and ethnicity in Multnomah County. Air pollution affects us all, but has disproportionate impacts on environmental justice communities — areas that experience undue environmental health burdens that have been consciously designed or historically neglected, such as communities of color or low-income neighborhoods in Multnomah County. Learn more about environmental justice communities in our Environmental Justice Snapshot.
Violations
Report a suspected violation of a mandatory burn restriction to Multnomah County Environmental Health:
- Call 503-988-0035
- Submit a web form.
- For fire safety, report the fire to your local fire department.
- This restriction does not apply to cooking. Exemptions are available.
Reduce pollution
Protect your health and reduce pollution. The key to reducing ozone is to reduce the emissions that create it.
- Skip the fire. Do not burn wood. Burning contributes to air pollution.
- Limit or reschedule outside activities. Think about spending more time indoors, where ozone levels are usually lower. If you must be active outdoors, try to schedule activity prior to the noon hour or in the late evening when the air has cleared and temperatures are cooler.
- Skip the car ride. Combine errands and use public transit, bike, or walk. If you walk or bike, do so early in the morning or later in the evening. Do not idle vehicles or equipment.
- Postpone gas powered mowing. Lawn and garden equipment is responsible for ozone-forming emissions. Postpone yard work that involves gas powered equipment until air quality improves.
- Check on friends, relatives and neighbors. Air pollution can be especially hard on the elderly, children and people with respiratory problems such as asthma.
- Stay hydrated. Exposure to high heat and poor air quality can be dehydrating. Avoid caffeinated and sugary drinks or alcohol.
What should you do
Stay inside with windows and doors closed (if temperatures allow). If it is too hot indoors, go to a public cooling space even for a few hours such as a Multnomah County library or a community center listed on this interactive map.
- Avoid spending time outside and avoid strenuous exercise outdoors.
- If available, set AC to recirculate, use an air cleaner with a HEPA filter or build your own air cleaner.
- Avoid being on the roads if visibility worsens.
Measure air quality
- Oregon Air Quality map: The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality updates a map of current air quality. Due to high traffic, the site can slow or crash.
- EPA Air Quality map: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pulls real-time air quality data from Oregon and Washington States.
Stay informed of wood burning restrictions
- Advisories and restrictions are published on the County’s Wood Burning Restriction page.
- Advisories and restrictions are shared through social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and NextDoor.
- Residents may sign up to receive emails of wood burning advisories and restrictions
- Residents may sign up to receive text alerts by texting START to (503) 994-2876.
- Notices of mandatory wood burning restrictions are pushed out through Public Alerts.
Know the symptoms
Exposure to air pollution can cause serious and life-threatening respiratory distress, including heart attacks and strokes. If you’re in distress, call 9-1-1. Mild symptoms of air pollution exposure often include:
- Cough
- Headache
- Burning eyes
- Sore throat
- Phlegm production
- Changes in breathing
Healthy people affected may have only mild symptoms. However, healthy people may also have underlying health conditions that put them at risk. If your eyes are burning, throat is sore, lungs are having a hard time expanding, or you are coughing, stay inside and try to create a “Clean Room” where the air is as clean as possible.
Dry cough, sore throat and difficulty breathing are common to both air pollution exposure and COVID-19. Contact your doctor if you believe you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.