Fire Marshal Nathan Hines explains how to do a controlled burn correctly
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A controlled burn in Scurry County Friday sent a column of black smoke into the air. Fire Marshal Nathan Hines said it’s still illegal to burn trash or brush inside Snyder city limits, and to contact the Fire Department to alert them if you’re planning a burn in the county.
Since Scurry County commissioners officially lifted the countywide burn ban on Feb. 13, county residents have engaged in a flurry of burning, with several controlled burns each day since.
Fire Marshal Nathan Hines reminded residents there are still rules about how burning should take place.
“We’ve had quite a bit. It’s normal that, usually the first month after a burn ban is lifted, a lot of folks have trash and brush piles and stuff to burn,” Hines said. “I’d say it’s been pretty steady.”
Hines advised that there is still no trash burning allowed inside the city limits.
“No trash, no grass, no brush anything like that,” he said. “Only barbecuing.”
Outside the city limits, Hines said those intending to burn trash or brush should advise the fire department ahead of time.
“First of all, they need to call us and let us know where it’s going to be, and a phone number and who’s going to be there with it,” he said. “(You) need to make sure, if you’re going to be doing a large controlled burn of brush or something like that and the smoke is going to blow across the highway, you need to make sure you have somebody there to flag the people on the road to make sure nobody has a wreck.”
Hines said the biggest problem the fire department faces is making sure people burn during the allowed times.
“Here’s what the rule is: ‘Initiation of burning shall commence no earlier than one hour after sunrise, and it shall be completed on the same day no later than one hour before sunset, and it shall be attended by a responsible person at all times during the active phase,’” he said. “That’s our biggest problem we have right there. If someone calls in about it, we have to go check it with a truck, so if they’ll just stay with it, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
People also need to make sure they’re not burning prohibited items or materials, Hines added.
“You can’t burn furniture, you can’t burn electrical insulation, treated lumber, plastics, demolition materials, heavy oils or asphalt, tires, anything that’s natural or synthetic rubber, you can’t burn that either,” he said.
Most importantly, use common sense and good fire safety protocols, he said.
“Just use caution,” said Hines.
To report a planned controlled burn, call Hines at 573-6215.