From staff reports
With all the blizzards and deluges, snow packs and floods, showers, flurries and wintry mixes in recent weeks, you’d think outdoor fires would not be an issue.
A few hours of bright sunshine will quickly turn last year’s dead leaves and dried grasses into brush fire tinder.
With no leaves on the trees to shade the ground, and a spring breeze to feed the flames, an errant spark can easily lead to a destructive and dangerous wildfire.
Smokey Bear is not going to prevent your fire for you, and if his friends from the fire department and the bureau of forestry have to come and put it out, they just might make you pay thousands of dollars for the service.
So don’t
Instead of burning leaves and dead falls, cover it up and wait for a rainy summer day, or better yet, start a compost pile, or if you have the room, a brush pile for wildlife cover.
It’s better not to burn trash at all. Recycle your paper and have your collection service haul away the rest.
Smoke from burning brush can exacerbate your neighbors’ lung problems. Smoke from burning trash is even worse, and can be seriously toxic.
If you are out camping or fishing, know that open fires are prohibited on state forest land until May 1 and even afterwards if the fire danger is listed as high.
Even when the season’s right, care with fire is essential. Smokey Bear has some tips:
If you must burn brush, leaves and other debris, do it later. Cover it with plastic until conditions are right for burning. Wait for a significant rainfall that thoroughly soaks surrounding vegetation.
Smokey says
Never leave a fire unattended.
Have water and hand tools such as shovels and rakes nearby.
When using a burn barrel, cover it with a wire mesh screen to prevent sparks from escaping, and make sure there are holes in the bottom to provide air to the fire so it burns quickly completely and does not smolder for long periods.
Make sure all fuels grass and brush are cleared for a space of at least ten feet around the fire so that stray sparks land on bare earth.
If a fire gets out of hand, do not delay calling 911 for help by trying to fight the fire alone. Once you are sure fire fighters are on the way, and you feel confident you can do some good, then try to control or slow the spread of the fire. Be sure to give 911 dispatchers a road address.
Make sure a fire is dead out before leaving the scene. Rake the ashes and feel for heat to make sure there are no hidden hot coals. Fires can lie dormant for several days then blaze up again. Ashes keep hidden coals hot, and a breeze can blow away the ash and get the fire going again.
Contact your local fire department or the forestry office before starting a “controlled burn” to make sure weather conditions are right and the fire company knows what you are planning.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry office in Clarion can be reached at 226-1901.
Home in the woods
Worst of all, a brush or woods fire can easily spread to homes, outbuildings and vehicles, and it’s best to keep a buffer between buildings and vegetation.
Keep trees, brush and high vegetation trimmed back within 30 feet of a house. Pine trees should be kept at least 75 feet away.
Keep leaves and needles from building up on roofs or in gutters, and consider using metal roofing or other fire resistant roofing materials when building r renovating.
Keep grass and weeds trimmed, and maintain a 12-foot driveway by trimming back intruding vegetation. Don’t park vehicles where grass or weeds can contact hot mufflers and exhausts.
Stack firewood at least 50 feet from the house and keep fuel tanks at least 10 feet away.
And in case the worst happens, make sure house numbers are visible and lanes are signed and passable to firefighting equipment.