Agricultural Burning

Open burning of crop residue is a method used by growers in Idaho and many other areas of the country to improve yields, reduce the need for herbicides and pesticides, reduce fire hazards, and control disease, weeds, and pests. 

Crop residue burning, like any other form of burning, creates smoke, which can endanger public health.  To minimize the health impacts of smoke generated by crop residue burning, state law and rules govern when, where, and how crop residue burning may be conducted in the state. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is the state agency assigned by the Idaho Legislature to manage this practice on lands other than the five Indian Reservations in Idaho. (For information on field burning on reservations in Idaho, contact individual Tribes.)

What You Should Know:

• Burning may be conducted only when a permit is issued.
• Burning may be conducted only on days designated by DEQ as burn days.
• Burn days are limited to  weekdays (no burning on weekends and state and federal holidays).
• Burning is limited to daylight hours (after sunrise and before sunset).
• An acceptable burn day occurs when air quality is good and is expected to continue to be good, as indicated by pollutant levels.
• Burning may only be conducted in fields in which the crop residue was generated.
• Fields may be ignited by reburn machines, propane flamers, or other portable devices. Tires and other restricted materials prohibited by state rules may not be used to ignite fields.
• Burn approval decisions are based on air quality conditions; proximity to towns, schools, roads, hospitals, canyon rims, etc.; the order of burn requests received from applicants; and other relevant factors.

 Safe Practices:

• Make a firebreak before you start.
• Check weather forecasts. Do not burn on hot windy days!
• Make sure you have enough people, water, and equipment/hand tools available to control the fire if it threatens to escape.
• When burning fields, ditch banks or fence lines, it is always safest to ignite against the wind.
• Be prepared to stay until the fire is out and if the wind does pick-ups, put your fire out. Most fires escape because they are left unattended and/or winds increase in speed or change direction.