Where can I dispose of my used needles?

For used sharps and needle disposal, please reach out to Republic Services, your local waste services company. Republic Services offers a “Sharps Disposal Mail Back Kit” which can be ordered and returned once full.

Where can I dispose of my expired medication?

Please check with your local pharmacy for expired medication disposal. For those that are local, the Silverton Pill Box has a drop box inside their store that can be utilized. Stop in, say “Hey!”, and check it out. For other locations, please see: Medication Collection!

Where can I dispose of my expired fire extinguisher or other hazardous waste? 

To dispose of an old fire extinguisher, please reach out to the Salem/Keizer Transfer Station at 503-588-2169 or Household Hazardous Waste.

Where can I get my fire extinguisher recharged or checked?

To recharge extinguishers, there are several local companies that are happy to facilitate, including Oregon Risk Management Solutions in Mt. Angel.

Can the Fire District fill my swimming pool?

Unfortunately, no. While we can certainly appreciate a good swim during the hot summer months, the fire district is unable to assist with any pool filling or bulk water needs. There are several companies in the area, however, that can help you out! Take a look at H2ecoWater and McKenzie Mist Water Company.

Do you offer CPR Training?

We do! Please reach out for more information!

CATS!

Generally, we do not rescue cats or other animals from trees or power poles. Typically, if left alone, the animal will come down on its own. If you believe the animal is having an emergency, please visit OHSTAR Arborist List. Another resource is 503 Cat in a Tree (503-753-1875).
If you feel you are having a true emergency, please contact the fire department or call 911 for assistance.

How do I get a report for a visit from the Fire District?

To request a fire report, please fill out a request form from our website. This form can be found by selecting Public Access and Requests.

Weed Control and Yard Maintenance

All weed control and yard maintenance ordinances fall under the jurisdiction of the City of Silverton. However, we are happy to come out and do a Defensible Space Assessment with a property owner. Please fill out an application found on our website under Public Access and Requests.

What is Field Burning Season?

Field Burn Season is usually from August to September. Field burning is used by farmers to burn off crop residue on fields to prepare the fields for the next growing season. The farmers must apply for permits for each field they want to burn from the Oregon Department of Agriculture and wait for approval to burn their fields. This approval comes from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the Oregon Department of Forestry, and the Oregon Department of Agriculture. In order for a field to be released to burn, it must have been prepared by the farmer, the wind must be favorable, and the smoke needs to be able to rise and clear the area appropriately. The farmer must wait until all of these conditions are met and they are contacted with a release before they are allowed to burn their specified field.

If you have an immediate concern about a fire or a suspected fire and are unsure if it is related to a field burn, please call 911.

If you have concerns about a confirmed field burn in your area, please contact Oregon Department of Agriculture.

Is it time to burn?

Depending on what kind of burning you are looking to do and where you want to do it, there might be bans or regulations in place. Check out the Willamette Valley Burning Announcement or call (877) 982-0011 for burning hours for the day. During the summer, you can always reference the fire danger signs around the district or give us a call at 503-873-5328. To see what the restrictions are for each fire danger level, see North Cascade District Public Use Restrictions. Please visit Oregon Department of Forestry Public Fire Restrictions to see if you live within ODF territory.

What kind of burn do I need to do?

• Recreational or "Warming" Fire
  • A recreational fire is a fire at your residence that is used for the purpose of cooking, warming, or similar recreation. A recreational fire should be in a pit or other contained location, no larger than 3’ in diameter and 2 ft high, and clear of any other combustible material for an additional 3’ in diameter around the fire. There should be a means to extinguish the fire on hand. Please keep in mind that this is NOT a backyard fire for burning yard debris. If you live in Oregon Department of Forestry territory, you will need to get a burn pit permit. Please visit Oregon Department of Forestry Public Fire Restrictions to see if you live within ODF territory.
• Backyard Burning
  • Backyard burning is the burning of debris in an outdoor fireplace, burn barrel, backyard incinerator, or piles of yard debris. You can only burn during Open Burning Season – call the daily burn information line before you burn.
    Depending on where you live in the district, your address may fall within the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) North Cascade Protection District Boundary. If you do, no burning is allowed during their ODF-declared fire season, which typically starts in June and ends once the area has received significant rains (typically October). To see if you live with in ODF territory, please visit Oregon Department of Forestry Public Fire Restrictions.
    What can I burn? Yard debris: wood, needles or leaves from plants grown and burned on the property of origin.
    What is prohibited to burn? Asbestos, asphalt or industrial waste, automotive parts (including frames), dead animals, plastic and rubber products, tires, waste oil, industrial waste, commercial waste, construction waste, demolition waste, petroleum treated and related materials, garbage and food waste, or any material that creates dense smoke or noxious odors. Visit the DEQ website Department of Environmental Quality : Burning 101 : Air Quality : State of Oregon and select your county to check for additional restrictions.
    For Burn Information, call (877) 982-0011 or visit Willamette Valley Open Burning Announcement.
• Agricultural Burning
  • Agricultural burning that requires a permit from the Department of Agriculture includes the burning of residue after harvest of a grass seed or cereal grain crop or clearing of agricultural land. Other types of agricultural burning falls under the Backyard Burning guidelines. Agricultural burning follows air quality reports generated by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
• Slash Burning
  • ​​​​​​​Slash burning is large-scale burning that includes forest debris or woody vegetation and is related to the management of forestland used for growing and harvesting timber. In order to burn a slash pile, Oregon Department of Forestry must issue a permit. These slash piles may be permitted to burn continuously for several days or even overnight. There may also be more than one pile going at a time.
    Slash is only considered as wood debris from timber harvested on land that will then be sold and the area re-planted.

* As with any fire, please remain attentive and aware. Check the weather forecast and local fire regulations before lighting off. Make sure that you have water and tools on hand to extinguish the fire. Consider using a burn barrel. If you choose to use a burn pile, make sure there are no tree branches or power lines above, and make sure to clear a large radius around the fire. If possible, completely extinguish the burn pile with water, stirring the coals while extinguishing. Don’t forget to recheck the fire. Burn piles can reignite depending on weather and wind.