Lawmakers pass ban on field burning

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By Dan Bain KPIC News

Story Published: Jul 1, 2009 at 9:49 AM PST

SALEM, Ore. -- Just before they left Salem Monday night, Oregon lawmakers voted to phase out most field burning by Willamette Valley grass seed farmers.

The state restricted the practice after smoke covered Interstate 5 near Albany in 1988, and a chain reaction wreck killed seven people.

The bill passed will allow burning on only 15,000 acres of steep terrain.

State Senator Jeff Kruse, a Republican from Roseburg, says the bill will not affect Douglas County burning right now, but it could in the
future. "The field burning ban doesn't have a direct effect on Douglas County, but the next step probably will, because they'll go after slash-burning, they'll go after anything that creates smoke, that's a bad thing. The unfortunate part of that is, the people who are still doing field burning for those types of grasses they're raising, there isn't a good disease control alternative."

Backers of the bill said it will keep people healthy, particularly those with asthma.

Opponents say it's bad for Oregon's grass seed industry, a major global supplier.

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