"Fire Season" can be a commonly heard term to those who live in the southern Oregon region. With fire season comes the abundance of smoke which can get trapped in places such as the Rogue Valley. One of the ways fire officials attempt to ease the intensity of summer fires is by conducting controlled, prescribed burns beforehand. As prescribed burns can create smoke themselves, the Environmental Protection Agency has guidelines for how these controlled burns are conducted. Representative Greg Walden gave praise to the EPA for implementing new and flexible rules for prescribed fires.