Our main source of preventable fires is caused by the general public. Some things that these fires result from are: campfires (as well as hunter’s warming fires), children, equipment use (cars, trucks and SUVs usually exhaust related; chainsaws, lawnmowers most often strike related), fireworks, miscellaneous (firearms, exploding targets, etc.) and debris burning.
In Pennsylvania, a wildfire that starts from debris burning
is defined as: a wildfire spread from clearing land, burning trash, dumps,
vegetation, logging slash or other prescribed burning. It is important to
remember how to properly burn your debris so that a wildfire doesn’t result.
As part of Fire Prevention Week, we (with some help from the
one and only Smokey Bear) would like to provide you with some helpful
information to safely burn debris both now and in the future.
1. Check conditions – don’t burn when its windy or if vegetation is very dry
2. Check local regulations – a permit to burn may be required
3. Watch what you burn – burn natural vegetation, it’s not a good idea to burn household trash, plastic or tires (and may even be illegal to burn in some locations)
4. Never burn beneath objects (i.e. powerlines, overhanging branches)
5. Look around – the site should be surrounded by gravel or dirt at least 10 feet in all directions, keep the surrounding area watered down and have a shovel nearby
6. Keep your pile small and manageable – you can add more as the other burns down
7. If you’re using a burn barrel, make sure it is in good condition and made entirely out of metal, and has at least three evenly spaced, three-inch, screened vents and metal top screen.
8. Stay with your fire until it is completely out; then drown the fire with water, turn the ashes with a shovel and douse again – repeat several times.
9. Check the burned area regularly over the next few days, especially if the conditions are warm, dry and windy
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