Early rain arriving in Oregon will allow fall pile burning to begin in the Siuslaw National Forest.
The piles consist of woodland debris near roadways, and scenic areas in Oregon's forests. The practice is done every year in the fall to help prevent wildfires. Interagency Fire Staff Spokeswoman Nancy Ashlock says the reason they need to start now is because early rain makes the piles very receptive to moisture.
Ashlock: "And so they are kind of like a sponge. The longer the rain comes down, the more of that moisture they absorb. And then they won't consume or they burn very slow, which adds a lot of smoke particulates and stuff to the air. The faster we can get it burned and consumed, the less time we have smoke in the air."
Ashlock says they wait till the rain starts every year so the small burns don't spread. She says people will notice increased levels of smoke for only a couple of days.
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