By Mac Dudley
Rangeley Plantation Town Fire Warden
Spring is in the air and the snow is melting. Limbs and dead trees that have fallen during winter litter the ground. Leaf material in the yard and the surrounding woods from the previous fall begin to show up and dry out. Home and camp owners are getting out in their yard for spring clean up and are looking for burn permits. Spring also begins the camping, hiking and outdoor campfire season. Here in the Northeast, April begins the season for forest fires or wildfires. There is always the risk for loss of homes/camps from wildfire. How can you protect the forest and your home from a wildfire that you or someone else accidentally sets? Know the rules and guidelines for open burning.
Open Burning is the burning of any type of combustible material out of doors. Outdoor Burning is prohibited in all areas of the State of Maine except by written permit for certain types of burning. Burn Permits or written permits are granted by any Maine State Forest Ranger for unorganized towns, a Town Fire Warden, or Deputy Fire Warden or by the Fire Chief that has jurisdiction of the organized town where the fire is to be set.
Permits are issued in accordance with all applicable state and local fire regulations and may be revoked during periods of high forest fire danger, when a nuisance condition is created such as smoke or when permit conditions are not followed. Any person who engages in outdoor burning that is prohibited by statute or who fails to comply with the conditions of the permit shall be guilty of a Class E crime. If you receive a permit you are responsible for the fire. If the fire escapes you may be liable for suppression costs up to $25,000 to a municipality. Your total risk can be as high as $125,000 considering suppression cost and civil damages caused to other property. It is important to realize that nine out of ten forest fires are caused by people.
Before you can get a permit, the person authorized to issue it must assess these factors:
- forest fire danger index and burning location
- time of day and season of year
- temperature and humidity (unhealthy to burn during stagnant air conditions)
- wind speed and direction (wind speed must be under 10mph)
- the matter and type of burning proposed
- length of the burning period
- experience and capability of the permittee in the safe use and control of the proposed burning
- presence or availability of sufficient manpower and equipment to control the burn
- the practicality of locating the open burning as far away as possible from any abutting property boundary and /or building, in order to prevent creating a nuisance condition.
If the issuer is satisfied that all factors are addressed, you will get your burn permit. There will be days when you will not get a permit because one or more of these factors may pose a high risk for a wild fire.
Once you decide that burning may be your best option, here are some things you can do to be firewise, firesafe and protect your home.
- check the local laws on burning
- check the weather; don’t plan to burn on dry, windy days
- clear deadwood and flammable vegetation around your home
- consider alternatives to burning. Leaves and grass make great compost or garden mulch
- do not burn between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. when it is not raining due to winds
- if winds are strong do not burn
- you must have a permit when burning in a barrel
- never burn trash
- build campfires away from overhanging branches, steep slopes, rotten stumps, dry grass and leaves
- maintain a mineral soil strip around your outdoor fireplace and charcoal grill a distance equal to or greater than the diameter of the fireplace or grill.
- keep campfires small and drown them with water when done
- small, hot fires assist in dispersion and produce less smoke
- short, frequent burn periods will help ensure that weather conditions won’t change and cause a nuisance from air pollution
- always have a shovel or rake close by and a charged garden hose or a couple 5-gallon pails of water on hand
- never leave a fire unattended
- protect your home by trimming tree branches that over hang your house and within 20’ of all chimneys
- clean your roof and gutters of leaves and pine needles
- stack firewood away from the house
- treat flammable materials such as wood roofs, decks and siding with a fire retardant chemical.
- check local zoning for reducing the density of forest surrounding your home
Remember, the dry, brown grass that remains after the snow melts burns hot and fast.
By consideration of these actions you can protect your property, have a safe outdoor burn or safely enjoy an outdoor campfire. For more information on how to protect your home from wildfires and to be firesafe contact your local Forest Ranger, Town Fire Warden, Fire Chief or the Maine Forest Service. Here are some contacts to keep on hand and remember only you can prevent forest fires:
District Forest Rangers: 864-5545
Rangeley Fire Chief, Rudy Davis: 864-3326
Rangeley Plt. Town Fire Warden, Mac Dudley: 864-5919
Rangeley Plt. Deputy Wardens:
Ken Johnson: 864-2361
Elizabeth Sweeny: 864-5155
Gordon Wright: 864-2667
Sandy River Plt. Town Fire Warden, Evelyn Wing: 864-2234
Dallas Plt. Town Fire Warden, Gaylon Wilcox: 864-5260
State Forest Protection Division at 1-207-287-4990, 1-800-750-9777 or visit www.maineforestservce.org
