Published: October 14, 2008 04:47 pm            

Don’t get burned

Use common sense during fall fire season

FAIRMONT — When you go to the backyard to burn all the leaves, downed tree limbs and brush littering your property, don’t forget to bring your common sense — and a hose or rake and shovel to put your fire out.

Every fall and spring, the state bans outdoor burning from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. because of the threat that such fires will spread out of control. The fall fire season started Oct. 1 and ends Dec. 31, said Ben Webster.

“It’s just a lot of common sense,” said Webster, a fire staff assistant at the state Forestry Division in Charleston.

“Don’t burn on a hillside because a fire will climb the hill,” he said.

“If it’s dry and windy, don’t burn. Wait for when weather conditions are better,” he said.

State law requires a fire line or a safety strip at least 10 feet-wide around an outdoor fire. The safety strip will help prevent embers from being blown onto adjacent areas. The strip must be cleared down to the ground.

Fires must be attended at all times. They “cannot be unattended until fully extinguished,” Webster said. The 4 p.m.-7 a.m. window means an outdoor fire must be out or “cold” by 7 a.m., he said.

Violations of the restrictions are a misdemeanor offense, subject to a fine of up to $300.

Homeowners — and hunters and campers as well — who let an outdoor burn escape are also liable for the property damage caused by the fire. They also can be charged for the costs of fighting the fire, Webster said.

City firefighters answer a number of “uncontrolled burn” calls on a year-round basis, said Fairmont Fire Chief Roger Wilson.

“Sometimes, a neighbor will see smoke rising from behind a house and call it in as a structure fire,” he said.

“The best advice I have is to keep your fire small. Don’t pile up all your brush and leaves and try to burn them all at once,” Wilson said.

“Instead, start with a small fire and add the brush and leaves to it over time. That gives you the best chance of controlling it,” the fire chief said.

In urban areas, neighbors who have difficulty breathing may file a complaint, he said.

“People who do outdoor burning are also liable if their fire becomes a health concern for their neighbors,” he said.

“You also must have a means of putting out the fire” at a fire site. The bottom line: “You are responsible for your fire.”

Besides the wind, property owners should also pay attention to how dry the surrounding lands and woods are, Webster and Wilson said.

Although it’s been dryer than normal since Aug. 3, precipitation in North Central West Virginia is above average for the year, said Tom Kines, a meteorologist with AccuWeather.com.

Morgantown normally has 34.93 inches of rain or snow at its municipal airport by this time. But the actual amount through Monday is 38.75 inches, said Kines.

At Bridgeport, reports from the North Central West Airport show 36.19 inches is normal. But the actual amount is 37.11 since Jan. 1, he said.

“May, June and July were above normal in terms of precipitation,” Kines said. Morgantown normally gets 12.65 inches but this year it got 20.45 inches in that three-month period. The normal at Bridgeport is 13.07 inches while the actual this year was 19.51 inches.

Webster also suggests patience when the wind is blowing and conditions are dry.

“Remember, there’s no real urgency to burning. It’s nothing that can’t wait,” he said.

He also added a cautionary note for bowhunters who will head for the woods this weekend.

“Remember, you are also responsible for your camping and cooking fires.”

More information on fire safety, the number of brush fires and the acreage they damage each year is available at Forestry’s Web site: www.wvforestry.com.

E-mail Bill Byrd at bbyrd@timeswv.com.

        

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