Controlled fire of Lockridge barn ignites calls to 911

LOCKRIDGE ? Calls of an old barn burning with no one apparently attending the fire Thursday morning in Lockridge created 911 calls from concerned passers-by, said Lockridge Fire Chief Jeremy Loving.

?When we get 911 calls, we have to investigate,? he said. ?I called the property owner, and I found out it was on purpose, a controlled burn, it just happened to involve an old structure and drivers going by didn?t see anyone nearby.?

He was on the phone to the property owner when dispatch sent the call for mutual aid to Fairfield.

?They didn?t need to come out, we didn?t go out,? said Loving.

?The decent thing to do if you?re going to have a controlled burn is call your fire department and sheriff?s office and let them know. Then when concerned residents call 911, we can check in with the property owner and ask if the fire is doing OK.?

Loving said as long as there is no fire ban in place, property owners are allowed to burn certain materials.

But with Jefferson County having nearly all-volunteer fire departments, only a few positions are paid in some departments, firefighters are working at jobs or sleeping or with family when calls come in. When those calls are not an actual emergency that needs a response, time and energy are wasted.

?Some other areas have fines for this type of thing,? said Loving. ?We don?t yet, but it may come to that.?