Even though recent rains and cooler temperatures have eased the risk of wildfire, it’s still fire season in Lane County — and that means backyard debris-burning is still prohibited.

There’s no fixed date for the end of fire season, according to a news release Tuesday, Sept. 29, from the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency, known as LRAPA. The decision to declare fire season over depends on when factors such as rainfall, temperatures and fuel moisture return to safe levels, according to the release.

But until fire season ends, backyard burning is illegal throughout Lane County.

“Some people have the misperception that Oct. 1 is a hard start date for backyard burning,” said Matt Sorensen, the air agency’s public affairs manager. “It’s not. Oct. 1 is simply the earliest possible date LRAPA’s rules allow.”

The Department of Forestry and the Lane Fire Defense Board say current conditions suggest fire season could run until mid-October, possibly later.

“The rain in September was very welcome given the record-breaking fire season, said Ole Buch, the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Western Lane District forester. “However, we will need more precipitation and better fuel conditions to end fire season.”

Outdoor yard debris-burning remains the No. 1 cause of human-caused fires in Oregon and is prohibited during fire season, per the news release. People who start a wildfire in Oregon can be held responsible for the costs of fighting it.