Published: January 20, 2009 08:34 am      

Conditions cause rash of weekend fires

By KANDACE MCCOY

kandace.mccoy@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Jefferson Fire Protection District Fire Chief Mike Huntman is once again reminding residents not to burn during dry, windy conditions following the fire district’s response to approximately half a dozen fire calls over the weekend.

“If it’s windy, don’t burn,” stressed Huntman. He explained wind is “the biggest factor” when brush fires get out of control. Last week, Huntman told the Register-News, “If you have a really dry spring, there will be a lot of fires. If you have a really dry, windy fall, there will be a lot of fires.”

Monday, he reiterated his warning.

“Wind is a problem every time,” he said. “Fires will burn faster than anyone can control it.”

According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office logs, reports of fires began coming in Saturday at 11:26 a.m. when a field fire was reportedly approaching a barn in the 17200 block of East Davis Road in Opdyke. At 1:10 p.m., a field fire was reported near the 8700 block of East Johnson Road in Dix. Shortly after that, Webber Township Fire Protection District requested mutual aid from the JFPD at 1:25 p.m. regarding a grass fire near the 14200 block of West Falcon Road in Bluford.

Another field fire was reported at 2:02 p.m. in Opdyke between Liberty and Lynchberg roads.

Huntman also cautions residents to properly dispose of ashes when cleaning out wood stoves.

Friday evening the JFPD responded to a fire which had flared out of control on Douthitt Lane, west of Dix. According to Capt. Conan King, a resident had been cleaning out a wood stove and dumped ashes in a small ditch. The embers from the ashes caught grass and debris in the ditch on fire, which then spread out to woods near the resident’s home, eventually catching the side of the house on fire. Damage to the home, King said, was approximately $2,000.

“When dumping ashes, try to dump it in a safe container,” Huntman advises. He also said pouring water over the ashes can also diminish the chances of embers flaring up.

Residents can also be liable for damages incurred to other people’s property as a result of a fire, he said.

“These people that burn, if it gets out of control, they will be held responsible if the fire damages someone else’s property,” he said.

But the best method of controlling fires, he said, is to know what the weather is doing.

“If there’s any wind at all,” Huntman reiterated, “don’t burn.”