Fire Awareness hot topic

NORTH VALLEY – There are a lot of F bombs being dropped lately. News anchors are using them more and more on the evening news. And no one in the Southwest wants to hear them.

It’s the beginning of fire season, and the devastation of the wildfires that ravaged vast areas of Arizona in 2005 is still fresh on the minds of many.

Winter and spring rains are always welcome, but the much needed moisture promotes the growth of grasses and shrubs, creating fuel for wildfires.

Already, parts of southern California are experiencing wildfires and we’ve just entered springtime.

The fires affect us in many ways. Dense smoke contributes to already poor air quality as well as visibility for drivers on the road. Loss of property contributes to higher insurance premiums. Manpower to fight the blazes costs millions of dollars in overtime wages and resources. Livestock and indigenous animals and vegetation are destroyed. Not to mention the emotional impact loss of property and/or lives can bring.

Yet homeowners can take measures to protect their property and minimize the chances of falling victim of a runaway fire.

“We tell property owners to clear the brush and overgrowth from their property,” says Dennis Tyrrell of the Daisy Mountain Fire Department. “Don’t burn the debris.

“It still gets cold in the evenings and people like to sit around a fire,” Tyrrell adds. “The fire needs to be a reasonable size and in a proper container such as a fire pit or outdoor fireplace.

“People need to keep a hose nearby with a nozzle in case embers get loose. When the fire is out make sure it is completely out and not smoldering. It is starting to warm up and people just need to use common sense and be aware of the dangers.”

There are several causes of fires. Most are either started by nature or by carelessness.

“Lightning does cause some of the fires,” Tyrrell says. “Carelessness with cigarettes and smoking material is a major cause of fires. If you’re going to burn trash, you need to get a permit. It’s also a good idea to get a permit if maybe you’re going to have a party and want a bonfire.”

If a person starts a fire in violation of a burn ban or doesn’t have the proper permits to burn, the offending party may be charged with a Class 2 misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $750, says Lt. Paul Chagolla, public information officer for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department.

“There is a range of ordinances that may apply depending on the instance,” Chagolla says. “but if you’re sticking with the misdemeanor, the fine can be up to $750.”

Education and common sense can go a long way toward cutting down on the number of fires.

“Most of the local fire incidents we experience are human caused and not a natural event,” says Jim Ford, Deputy Chief of Fire and Life Safety for the City of Scottsdale Fire Department.

“The goal of the Scottsdale Fire Department is to decrease the number of incidents through education and prevention methods, and to reduce the impact of the incidents that occur through proper safety measures, resource deployment and fuel management.”

Ford said his department recommends clearing a 30‑foot defensible space around your property as a precaution from an approaching fire.

“Thirty feet is about the national standard,” he says. “The key is rid your property of the dead and dying vegetation. Clean up the flash fuel. There’ll be a lot this year due to the freeze. We don’t have them very often.