Public Officials Warn Missourians to Use Extreme Caution When Open Burning

JEFFERSON CITY, April 14, 2005—The Missouri Department of Public Safety in conjunction with the Division of Fire Safety today issued a precautionary statement about the hazards of open burning during high winds and low humidity.

Each year Missourians conduct controlled burns on parcels of land they own. Spring and fall months attract the highest amount of landowners practicing controlled land burns. However, many controlled burns end up out of control resulting in property damage, injury and death.

The warning is issued specifically in response to the extensive damage of hundreds of acres in Phelps County and Lake Ozark area originating from natural cover fires on March 30. These uncontrollable burns required the Lake Ozark volunteer fire department to call for assistance from fire protection districts in Cole County, and for Phelps County fire service to call fire protection districts in Warren, St. Louis, Jefferson and Franklin counties for assistance.

When neighboring fire protection districts are called to assist in fire containment, activation of Missouri’s Statewide Fire Mutual Aid System, those assisting agencies receive no compensation. When open burn fires become out of control, they often exhaust the firefighting resources of that region and require assistance from one of Missouri’s eight other mutual aid regions, which are divided in conjunction with the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troops.

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt says these costs should not have to be incurred by neighboring fire protection agencies.

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OPEN BURN WARNING
FIRST AND FINAL ADD

“Poorly planned open burning is the culprit for many landowners’ property damage, resulting damage to neighbors’ property, and injury to Missourians,” Blunt said. “No agricultural or other benefit can outweigh the deaths that Missouri citizens and firefighters have suffered to control the problem of open burns gone wrong. If death, injury and substantial property damage continues to be a result of poorly planned open burning, I will consider a temporary ban on open burns in our state as weather conditions dictate.”

Reports from Missouri fire service agencies show that between January 2003 and December 2004, there were approximately 9,000 natural cover fires that left five civilians and twelve firefighters injured and two civilians and one firefighter dead.

The Department of Public Safety recommends the following for those considering open burning:
· Obtain an Open Burning Permit from the Missouri DNR if applicable.
· Check with your city or county jurisdictions for any local open burn restrictions.
· Notify property owners on adjoining land before open burning on your property.
· Have appropriate water supply, i.e. garden hose, containers of water, water extinguisher, available to extinguish fire if needed.
· Burn only during daylight hours, extinguish the burn before sunset.
· Do not burn on windy days, days with low humidity, or days falling during a period of several dry weeks.

For more information on Missouri’s open burn regulations, call the Missouri Department of Natural Resources at 1-800-361-4827, or view their online fact sheet at http://www.dnr.state.mo.us/oac/pub2047.pdf. For more information concerning Public Safety’s warning about open burning, please contact Terri Durdaller at (573) 751-4819.

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