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A recent rash of controlled burns becoming out-of-control fires have prompted the Stafford County fire department to implement some new procedures, and possibly new fines.
“We’ve had an average of a fire a day for the past 31 days,” said Stafford County EMS Director Steve Moody. “My main goal is to have them follow the rules and not let their fire get out o f control. Controlled burns are necessary in rural areas, but those conducting a controlled burn have a responsibility to confine the burn to the intended property.”
When individuals call in for permission to burn Stafford County dispatchers will now have a specific set of questions to ask the caller, and the conversation will be recorded according to Moody. That way if a fire gets out of control Incident Commanders can review the scene and the recorded conversation to see if all conditions agreed to were met and the fire just got out of control, or if the person burning was negligent in their preparations.
Controlled burns are not allowed if the wind speeds are above 15 miles per hour, without frequent gusts above that or the short-term weather forecast calls for wind speeds to increase above that speed.
Night burning is another concern the county is addressing. Currently if an individual calls in at 8 a.m. for a controlled burn they have until midnight to start burning. Moody said night wildland fires are fires are more dangerous for the firefighters with reduced visibility.
Burning at night should be avoided. Darkness prevents the drivers of vehicles or personnel on foot from being able to find their way, see obstacles and landmarks, judge distances, and assess the overall fire situation. Night fires also appear more severe than they are and result in more false alarms. Source K-State burning procedures
”I know the humidity is better and generally the winds are calmer at night,” he said. “But it is a lot harder for the firefighters to see holes in the ground, fences and other obstructions at night. It’s just not worth getting a firefighter injured or killed fighting a controlled burn in the middle of the night.”
Time windows will be established so if someone calls in for a burn they will have a window of an hour or so to light the fire.
Individuals with controlled burns that require the fire department to respond could be fined $250 or more and charged a minimum of $50 per truck per hour.
A recent rash of controlled burns becoming out-of-control fires have prompted the Stafford County fire department to implement some new procedures, and possibly new fines.
“We’ve had an average of a fire a day for the past 31 days,” said Stafford County EMS Director Steve Moody. “My main goal is to have them follow the rules and not let their fire get out o f control. Controlled burns are necessary in rural areas, but those conducting a controlled burn have a responsibility to confine the burn to the intended property.”
When individuals call in for permission to burn Stafford County dispatchers will now have a specific set of questions to ask the caller, and the conversation will be recorded according to Moody. That way if a fire gets out of control Incident Commanders can review the scene and the recorded conversation to see if all conditions agreed to were met and the fire just got out of control, or if the person burning was negligent in their preparations.
Controlled burns are not allowed if the wind speeds are above 15 miles per hour, without frequent gusts above that or the short-term weather forecast calls for wind speeds to increase above that speed.
Night burning is another concern the county is addressing. Currently if an individual calls in at 8 a.m. for a controlled burn they have until midnight to start burning. Moody said night wildland fires are fires are more dangerous for the firefighters with reduced visibility.
Burning at night should be avoided. Darkness prevents the drivers of vehicles or personnel on foot from being able to find their way, see obstacles and landmarks, judge distances, and assess the overall fire situation. Night fires also appear more severe than they are and result in more false alarms. Source K-State burning procedures
”I know the humidity is better and generally the winds are calmer at night,” he said. “But it is a lot harder for the firefighters to see holes in the ground, fences and other obstructions at night. It’s just not worth getting a firefighter injured or killed fighting a controlled burn in the middle of the night.”
Time windows will be established so if someone calls in for a burn they will have a window of an hour or so to light the fire.
Individuals with controlled burns that require the fire department to respond could be fined $250 or more and charged a minimum of $50 per truck per hour.
Stafford County fire department will offer a reduced rate “standby fee” where the department will come out ahead of time and provide assistance as needed on controlled burns.
“I don’t want to assess fines or send them a bill,” Moody said. “But we have a minimal budget for the little stipend that we pay the firefighters, and my budget is almost exhausted.
“I want to make sure that burns are done prudently to minimize the chance of a burn getting out of control and firefighters possibly getting hurt or killed fighting a controlled burn.”
Conditions for performing a controlled burn
Establishing a disc line or acceptable mow line around the burn site.
A minimum of 100 - preferrably 500 gallons of mobile water available
Required to stay on site through the duration of the burn
Required to start burn within one hour of calling in and conclude the core before nightfall
Required to secure the perimeter for 50 feet for grass, 100 feet for downed timber and 300 feet for standing timber before leaving the burn site
Call in when burn is completed
Required to fulfill all of the burn regulations under KSA-28-19-45
