Conditions increase fire risks

MT. PLEASANT — As local fire departments respond to an increased number of fire calls; the State of Iowa Department of Public Safety issued a proclamation which bans open burning in Henry County.

“People are out burning like they do every spring,” Emergency Management Department Head Walt Jackson said. “With the dry conditions and wind, though, the fire chiefs reached out to me about an open burn ban.”

“All the fire departments in the county have been out quite a bit the last couple weeks,” Jackson said. “They’ve had quite a few fires here in the last week or so get out of hand and require mutual aid.”

According to Jackson, with these conditions, no fire department would have enough resources to continue at the pace Henry County and neighboring counties have the last couple weeks.

Warm, dry, and windy weather all contributed to a structure fire Wednesday, April 13, Mt. at G&R Auto Body Shop, 304 S. Haynes.

Despite early reports which stated that the fire began due to controlled burning behind the shop, Fire Chief Drew Schumacher stated that grass and debris caught fire outside the building due to sparks from the cutting of steel.

Even with the assistance of New London Fire & Rescue, crews remained on scene for approximately two hours.

While Henry County Emergency Medical Service also responded to the fire, there were not injuries.

According to Mt. Pleasant Fire Department, while they worked on this structure fire, Lockridge and Fairfield fire departments assisted in extinguishing a brush fire.

“They had two fires going on, on opposite ends of town, and both of them were substantial,” Emergency Management Director Walt Jackson said.

After reaching out to Henry County fire chiefs and receiving a consensus on requesting an open burn ban, Jackson reached out to the State of Iowa Fire Marshal Office.

According to the proclamation released by State Fire Marshal Dan Wood, Walt Jackson from Henry County Emergency Management requested the ban in pursuit of Iowa Code 100.40(1) (1995).

The ban will remain in effect until Jackson notifies the state fire marshal that conditions no longer prove dangerous to life or property.

The code allows for the state fire marshal to prohibit open burning upon request.

“The state fire marshal, during periods of extremely dry conditions or under other conditions when the state fire marshal finds open burning constitutes a danger to life or property, may prohibit open burning … when an investigation supports the need for the prohibition,” the code states.

According to the code, a violation of this burn ban will result in a simple misdemeanor.

This does not prohibit supervised controlled burns with permits from the fire chief, use of outdoor fireplaces, barbecue grills, supervised landfills, burning trash in incinerators or trash burners made of metal, concrete, masonry or heavy one-inch wire mesh, with no openings greater than one square inch.

In addition to this proclamation, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Red Flag Warning for Henry, Washington, Jefferson, and other Iowa counties.

According to the NWS, “A Red Flag Warning means warm temperatures, very low humidities, and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger.”

At the time of the warning, the NWS stated primary condition concerns included 15-25 mph winds with gusts up to 35 mph, low humidity levels and dry conditions.

Cover all burn barrels with a weighted metal cover, with holes no larger than 3/4 of an inch.

Do not throw cigarettes or matches out of a moving vehicle. They may ignite dry grass on the side of the road and become a wildfire.

Extinguish all outdoor fires properly. Drown fires with plenty of water and stir to make sure everything is cold to the touch. Dunk charcoal in water until cold. Do not throw live charcoal on the ground and leave it.

Never leave a fire unattended. Sparks or embers can blow into leaves or grass, ignite a fire, and quickly spread.

They also warn against conducting work which will produce sparks as they could also start a fire.

“Don’t burn ditches and don’t burn close to woodland areas,” Emergency Management’s Walt Jackson advises. “If it gets into the woods, it is a whole different ballgame.”

According to Jackson, fires require three things: fuel, heat, and oxygen.

“When the wind is blowing you have the oxygen,” he said. “With the dry conditions, you have the right kind of fuel and then you put a match to it and you have the heat.”

In consideration of the miles of rolling fields, Jackson encourages everyone to take extra caution.

“We don’t want a fire to get out of control and someone to lose their house or worse,” he said.

“If you really need to burn something, get in touch with the fire chief and get permission.”

According to Jackson, even when the conditions don’t lend themselves to additional risks, individuals can always reach out to the fire department to ensure safe burns.

“Lots of times they’ll bring a firetruck out to burns to keep an eye on things,” he said.

With weather conditions always shifting, especially this time of the year, Jackson couldn’t comment about when they might lift the open burn ban, but he intends to continue to keep in touch with Henry County Fire Departments to reassess as conditions change.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com