Fire Season: Follow the rules and keep people safe
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Today marks the start of the spring fire season in West Virginia. Despite the continued wet, cold weather, that also means the start of burning restrictions.
Once again, residents are to restrict outdoor burning to between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. (meaning a fire started during those hours must be OUT by 7 a.m.)
According to State Forester Jeremy Jones, there have already been 95 fires to which the Division of Forestry has responded since Jan. 1, and those fires burned nearly 390 acres.
Between now and May 31, the rules for the spring fire season are simple:
All fires must have a safety strip, cleared of burnable material and at least 10 feet wide.
Fire must be attended until completely extinguished.
Only vegetative materials such as leaves, brush and yard clippings are permitted to be burnt.
Spark-throwing machinery such as power shovels or sawmills operating on land subject to fire must contain an adequate spark arrestor.
Inflammable waste disposal areas must annually remove all grass, brush, debris, and other inflammable material adjacent to disposal areas to provide adequate protection, preventing the escape of fire to adjacent lands.
"Our fire laws protect one of West Virginia's most valuable resources: our forests," Jones said. "We urge everyone who decides to burn anything outside to be completely familiar with the guidelines available on our website. During the spring months it doesn't take long for our fuels to dry out and fires to escape easily."
If financial penalties are not enough to encourage you to burn within the rules (or not burn at all), consider the danger to life and property when fires get out of control. The men and women of the DoF shouldn't have to put their lives on the line to make up for the carelessness of others -- though they are willing to do so, to protect the rest of us, and this beautiful state we love.
Ignoring the rules simply isn't worth the risk.