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Burn Bans. . .How do you deal with them?
In the past 10 days or so, Jasper county, TX has had two really good sized wildland fires, one of about 25 acres and one of about 60 acres, both of which required assistance from the Texas Forest Service. It has been super dry here in the last month, couldn't even guess when we had any appreciable rainfall. So today they finally put a burn ban into place, the first in the county since I've lived in TX ( a little over two years) and my question is how do you deal with the public and enforcing the ban? By the way here in TX it's a Class "C" misdemeanor.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
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We issue burn permits year round. So when the official fire season goes into effect we continue the process. In order to shut down burning we just dont issue any permits. A total burn ban is initiated usually late in the season and done the same way. Out in the County it is handled the same way. No burning thus no permits issued.
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Permalink Reply by Reg Mathis on
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Hey Chief,
Seems like over here we spend half our time rolling on "illegal burns". In order to have a "yard fire", you have to get a burn permit from the forestry service. Otherwise we'll roll up and rain on their parade, so to speak...
The civs occasionaly get angry, but when you offer to contact the sherrifs office and let them work it out, they calm down pretty quickly.
TCSS
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Permalink Reply by Katie Hueston on
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Well where I live in Kansas, burn bans are not that rare, we have so many droughts. Normally, our county commissioners establish the ban, we advertise it on the local radio station and in the local newspaper, then if we get called to it we have to put it out, they are often fined for ignoring the order. To be honest, a lot of people don't like it, but it's just something that we must do. If someone gives us trouble, we try to explain it to them the best we can, if they continue to be a problem, our sheriff department will respond to assist us. Here if you are caught illegally burning while there is a ban in place, you pay a fine. I have had some people who are really nasty, but the law states that if we receive a call, we put the fire out. So, I have had people lock me out of the fields or try to block us with their vehicle, we either go around or call for the Sheriff. We normally try to publicize that there is a ban, reasons for the ban & let everyone know that if they do not respect the law, they are punishable with fines. It can make us kinda unpopular, but it's just a part of doing the job.
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Permalink Reply by Chief Dino on
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Another two fires last night. . .terribly dry right now. I talked with some of the guys who have been on the department a while and their experience is that most folks will follow the ban, but those that don't get the county called in to deal with them. And, we have a new Sheriff that has shown a great deal of support for the FDs in the county. Thanks for everyone's input.
TCSS
Shawn
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