Illegal burning causes fire department trouble

With the temperature climbing, so are the number of residents calling McMinnville Fire Department to report illegal burning.

?It?s beginning to be a problem,? said Fire Chief Kevin Lawrence about illegal burning. ?I?ve already had to go out and put out more than one illegal fire. I had to put out one this morning and the man was not happy at all.?

According to the fire department, the only thing that can be burned legally is dead leaves and dead tree limbs ? but only with a permit. Even with a permit, it is illegal to burn anything else.

?If the wood is treated or has paint on it,? said Lawrence, ?it absolutely cannot be burned.?

More recently the fire department got a call about someone burning wires with rubber coating. The person burning the wires was warned and the fire was immediately extinguished.

The fire department has also received at least one compliant about paper being burned in a barrel, which may not be legal either says Lawrence.

?I told the lady who complained that it?s our policy to let people burn paper in barrels. She called Air Quality Control in Cookeville and we got a nasty letter from them,? Lawrence said.

Numerous other calls have also been received by the fire department.

?You can only burn the dead leaves and limbs on your property,? said Lawrence, repeating some of his responses to questions. ?You can?t burn your leaves or branches on someone else?s property. You can?t take your neighbors branches and burn them. No, you can?t haul them somewhere else and burn them. I?m at my wit?s end with this.?

Other cities have banned burning altogether but this doesn?t seem to be the solution for McMinnville Safety Committee members who believe education might be the better way to go.

?All banning will do is lead to fines for people who insist on burning their tree limbs or leaves in the fall,? said Vice Mayor Patti Nunley.

Although McMinnville can issue citations for illegal burning, the city hasn?t issued any in years. However, illegal burning can result in a $25,000 daily fine from the state Air Quality Control.

For now, reminders about what can be legally burned and what cannot be burned will be placed on all water bills within the next month or two. If the problem continues, citations may once again be given.

Burning requires a permit, which is still free and can be obtained from either fire stations for city residents, or by calling 635-2754 for non-city residents. Those wishing to burn on the weekend should contact the department Monday through Friday.

When obtaining a permit, burners will be advised as to weather conditions and precautions they may need to take while burning, including clearing the area around where they are burning and to remain with the fire until it is fully extinguished. Tools such as shovels and rakes, along with water, should be handy. Officials will also point out it is illegal to burn items such as tires, roofing materials, household garbage or other items which would constitute air pollution.

By obtaining a permit, the burner alerts the department about when and where they will be burning. The records can help prevent false alarms for rural fire departments as passersby could mistake a controlled burn for a wildfire, thus having fire personnel unnecessarily dispatched.