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By MARYLOU BUTLER
SOUTH KINGSTOWN – In the last two weeks, firefighters in South County have been reminded again and again that brushfires come with warm weather. Thanks to a great stop last week by firefighters from Union and Kingston Fire Districts, a fire threatening the Animal Rescue League and some houses in South Road Estates ended up being but a close call. Although lighting strikes and high heat can sometimes trigger brushfires, most are caused by simple carelessness, fire officials say.
Several recent fires in highway medians and decorative mulch have been the result of discarded cigarettes. When conditions are dry and vegetation has not yet turned green it is easy to spark a fire. With warm weather, people are spending time outside cleaning up yards and can be tempted to get rid of all of those leaves and twigs by burning instead of hauling it away. “The most important requirement is that the fire is never left unattended, even for a couple of minutes and secondly you need to have a hose readily available in case the wind causes some embers to spread,” said Union Fire Chief District Robert Perry. “Fire can smolder for quite a long time and reignite easily so it’s important that you make absolutely sure that you have extinguished the fire completely,” he said. “The worst thing is to wake up in the middle of the night to find your brush pile reigniting and threatening your home or your neighbor’s houses.” Another recommendation that Perry has is that no pile should be lit closer that 150 feet from any structure. “Any fire, even a permitted fire, must be extinguished if there are complaints from your neighbors,” said Perry, “burn permits are a privilege, not a right.” In South Kingstown, resident tempted to burn yard debris must be aware of several things. Residents are required to obtain a burning permit by calling the SKPD at 783-3321 on the morning of the day you want to burn. There is a limit of ten burn permits given out each day in order to reduce the demand on the volunteer fire districts in town. Each day the Department of Environmental Management monitors the weather conditions and advises each town that allows outside burning of the fire danger. The DEM sets the burning laws for the entire state and may deny permits on “high danger” days. Only natural vegetation can be burned - construction materials such as plywood, decking, framing, shingles, garbage, plastics or old furniture can’t be disposed of by burning. If caught burning these items or without a permit, the culprit may be warned, fined or arrested depending on the violation. Other types of fires such as bonfires and clambakes require permits and a review by the Chief Perry or his representative. Fires in chimineas and outdoor fireplaces do not require a permit but only natural vegetation is allowed and if the fire becomes a nuisance to your neighbors, it must be extinguished. Fire spreads more rapidly that most people realize. A small breeze is all it takes for a fire to get out of your control. At this time of year it is not a wooded or forested lot that causes the problem but it is the underbrush that causes fire to spread. Unraked leaves, dry vines such as bittersweet or grapes are the conduits for fire to travel. If you are intent on burning your brush, it is important that you are ready for the responsibility that it entails. Make sure you are completely aware of the consequences you may face if a fire you are responsible for gets out of control. Fire is never to be taken lightly. Trees can burn internally and need to be cut down to control a fire. Hot spots can reignite with the slightest wind. Hundreds or thousands of gallons of water can be required to completely douse a fire. Brush fires that get out of control can injure and kill wildlife, humans and damage or destroy buildings and homes.
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