Smoke Alarms
No matter how good your alarm is, without power it is useless. “Spring ahead or fall back.” Both are easy to remember and also the perfect time to insert a new battery in your smoke alarms if you haven’t already upgraded to smoke alarms that contain a 10-year long life battery. Over the years there have been many fires where, for a variety of reasons, batteries have been removed from the smoke alarm and people have been needlessly injured or killed because the alarm failed to operate. Lebanon Fire District, along with the Oregon State Fire Marshal, would like to remind you that smoke alarms more than 10 years old should be removed and replaced with new alarms. All new, battery only powered, ionization smoke alarms sold in Oregon must be sold with a 10-year long life battery. They shall also contain a “hush” button that will silence the alarm for a short period of time in the event of a false alarm. There is no need to remove the battery, except to replace it. The “yearly” battery change can become a thing of the past. Please remember to check, clean and test your smoke alarm at least once a month to verify it has power and is operating correctly.
REMEMBER – A smoke alarm that doesn’t work, DOESN’T WORK!
Working smoke alarms more than double your chances of surviving a fire. Most fire deaths are caused by smoke, not flames. Do you have the right smoke alarm in place? Click on Smoke Alarms to find out.
Burn Regulations
Can I burn today??
Who makes the rules, where and when do they apply, who do I contact, and what can I burn?
To sort out these rules and regulations, check out WHAT CAN I BURN. This article will help you to understand the many areas and agencies involved in determining when and what you can burn. As you’ll note throughout the article, before starting any burn, you should ALWAYS call the burn message at (541) 451-1904. The message is usually updated by 8:30am. If you want to burn slash, you will have to contact ODF(Oregon Department of Forestry) to find out if slash burning is allowed.
What can I burn? check out QUICK-REFERENCE BURN CHART to find out what you can burn based on which area your property lies within the district. In addition to the chart, you can view our DISTRICT BURN MAP as a cross-reference and visual aid in determining the location of your property within the district.
When is backyard burning typically allowed? There is a spring (March 1st through June 15th) and a fall (October 1st through December 15th) burn season. These burn seasons are not “set in stone” and may be postponed or shortened by the Linn County Fire Defense Board due to extreme fire danger.
It is ILLEGAL to burn commercial waste, rubber, plastic, petroleum, asphalt, asbestos, wet garbage, food waste, animal remains, or ANY material that produces dense smoke or noxious odors.
If you live within the ODF Overlap area or ODF Protection District, ODF may require a written permit. You must contact ODF prior to any backyard or barrel burning, recreational, and/or slash burning. Oregon Department of Forestry – (503) 367-6108.
Burn Complaints: If you see illegal burning (tires, garbage, burning out of burn season, etc.) you may contact 911 and they will dispatch an appropriate unit.
Field Burning is regulated by the Department of Agriculture. Any concerns with field burning need to be directed to Dept. of Ag. at (503) 986-4709.
For further detailed information about open burning regulations, slash, agricultural, and recreational burning, click on LFD Burn Regs
Extra information, such as fire hydrant distribution and water supplies, can be found in the Fire Code Applications Guide.
Chimney Brush Check-Out Program
In order to promote a clean burning fire and reduce the risk of flue fires the Lebanon Fire District offers chimney brushes that you can borrow, free of charge, to clean your own chimney. All you have to know is the exact measurements of your chimney (many people are unaware that there are many different sizes and shapes of chimney liners, so this first step is critical) and its approximate height. Come down to the main fire station located at 1050 W. Oak Street and check out the proper equipment at the front desk. All we ask is that you use and return them in a timely manner (24 hours) so that they will be available for others to borrow.
Please remember that your safety comes first and working on a roof or ladder can be very dangerous. We urge you to take proper safety precautions. If you are not able to clean your own chimney in a safe manner we recommend you hire a professional chimney sweep to do the job.
Some tips for avoiding chimney fires:
1) Wood: Burn only seasoned dry wood. Green damp wood contributes to cooler fire temperatures that increase creosote.
2) Air Supply: The air supply on fireplaces may be restricted by closed glass doors or by failure to open the damper wide enough to move heated smoke up the chimney rapidly (the longer the smoke’s “residence time” in the flue, the more likely it is that creosote will form). A wood stove’s air supply can be limited by closing down the stove damper or air inlets too soon and too much, and by improperly using the stovepipe damper to restrict air movement.
3) Cool Flue Temperatures: In the case of wood stoves, fully-packed loads of wood (that give large cool fires and eight or 10 hour burn times) contribute to creosote buildup. Condensation of the unburned by-products of combustion also occurs more rapidly in an exterior chimney, for example, than in a chimney that runs through the center of a house and exposes only the upper reaches of the flue to the elements.
In the case of a flue fire:
1) Never, ever put water into the chimney. This can cause cracks to form in the lining of the flue and lead to a house fire.
2) Close down the air intake into the stove or fireplace. This deprives the fire of oxygen and will help cool and extinguish the fire.
3) Call the fire department.
4) Have your flue examined by a professional before using it again.
