Firefighters with Union and Decatur fire departments work to extinguish a grass fire on Boler Road Friday. The fire, which was started to burn debris, got out of hand after a sharp breeze carried embers into nearby leaves.
Union Fire Chief Dale Yates said grass fires are a common occurrence this time of year as warmer temperatures tempt residents to clean dead leaves and limbs from their yards.
“They go to burn, and a wind comes up and takes it out of their control,” he said.
While burning debris is allowed, Yates urged residents to keep an eye on the weather conditions and avoid burning when a strong wind is present.
To help residents stay safe, the Southern Group of State Foresters offers these tips:
● Don’t burn trash and brush on dry, windy days
● Check to see if weather changes are expected. Outdoor burning should be postponed if shifts in wind direction, higher winds or wind gusts are in the forecast.
● Before doing any burning, establish wide control lines down to bare mineral soil at least 5-feet wide around any burn barrels and even wider around brush piles and other piled debris. The larger the debris pile, the wider the control line needed to ensure burning materials won’t be blown or roll off the pile into vegetation outside the line.
● Stay with all outdoor fires until they are completely out
● Burn household trash only in a burn barrel or other trash container equipped with a screen or metal grid to keep burning material contained.
● Never attempt to burn aerosol cans; heated cans will explode. Flying metal may cause injuries, and the explosion may scatter burning material into nearby vegetation.
● Stay abreast of wildfire danger levels and heed warnings
