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Wood Burning Advisory
Smoke from woodstoves and fireplaces can contribute significantly to air pollution in the fall and winter, especially during periods of air stagnation. The Wood Burning Advisory was developed to restrict burning in solid fuel devices (woodstoves, fireplaces, etc.) during high pollution episodes. The Wood Burning Advisory designates days as green, yellow, or red depending on the amount of particulate matter in the air. Look on the Josephine County Home Page or call 541-476-WOOD to determine the daily Wood Burning Advisory forecast.
Note: The Wood Burning Advisory only applies to solid fuel burning devices NOT open/barrel burning. Click here for information about open burning.
| Advisory | Certified Woodstoves | Non-certified Woodstoves |
|---|---|---|
| RED | No Visible Smoke | No Burning |
| YELLOW | No Visible Smoke | No Burning |
| GREEN | 50% Opacity* | 50% Opacity* |
What do the advisory colors mean?
A GREEN day means that the air in the Rogue Valley is predicted to be good.
A YELLOW day means a twenty-four hour period, beginning at 7:00 AM, when the PM2.5 levels are forecasted by the DEQ's Air Quality Index (AQI) to be approaching unhealthy levels.
A RED day means a twenty-four hour period, beginning at 7:00 AM, when PM2.5 levels are forecasted by the DEQ's Air Quality Index (AQI) to reach unhealthy levels.
Certified and Non-Certified Woodstoves
A certified woodstove was manufactured after 1985 and has a permanently affixed Oregon D.E.Q or a U.S. EPA certification label.
Exemptions
You may use your wood stove under any circumstances if it is the sole source of heat for your home in Josephine County.
Tips for Clean Burning
Burn small, hot fires: A hot fire will heat the stove up enough to burn the wood completely and cleanly. It will also reduce creosote buildup in the chimney and help avoid chimney fires.
Don't burn overnight: Nighttime fires are a major cause of air pollution, waste fuel, and can create a fire hazard. When you go to bed, open the damper and let your fire die completely - don't try to keep it overnight.
Oxygen: If the fire doesn't have enough air for efficient burning, combustion is less complete and the smoke contains particulates and harmful chemical compounds. To allow for more air, don't overstuff your stove.
Burn dry wood: Freshly cut wood should be split, stacked, covered, and allowed to dry and least six months before it's burned.
Don't burn garbage: Trash such as christmas wrapping, plastic bags, and junk mail release toxic fumes in your house and around your neighborhood. You don't eat your trash, don't breathe it either.
Click here for more information about woodstoves from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
