As the weather warms and spring nears, residents are getting out to clean up their yards, and sometimes that means brush piles are burned.
But with dry and windy conditions, firefighters want to remind people not to burn debris and to follow state law when burning anything.
On March 9, firefighters with the Hamblen Township Volunteer Fire Department responded to a large grass/brush/mulch fire in the 2000 block of Hornettown Road just before 4 p.m. Jackson Fire Chief Glenn Elmore and his department assisted.
Elmore said that once firefighters arrived, they realized two different fires were burning, with one approaching a home being built on the property. “That was our main concern,” Elmore said.
“We started defending the house at that point.”
Both fires had started as a result of two burning brush and debris piles on the same property.
“We had two fires going at the same time, but they spread in different directions, and that’s what made the fire pretty difficult to fight, the separation,” Elmore said.
Firefighters were on that scene for three hours. Elmore estimated that about eight acres were lost in that blaze.
The two fires spread to two surrounding properties, meaning a total of three properties were affected.
Less than 24 hours later, volunteer firefighters were dispatched to a woods fire in the 8200 block of State Road 135 North. Fruitdale Fire Volunteer Fire Department Lt. Dia Jones was the first on scene.
The first call was that smoke was in the area of the 8300 block of 135. As Jones was trying to find the fire, dispatch reported an address where someone had reported seeing flames.
Jones said the cause is unknown because the homeowner said he had burned debris a couple of days prior. Jackson Township, Hamblen Township and Morgantown volunteer fire departments assisted at that fire.
Jones said the fire was close to two houses. “The wind was against us,” Jones said.
“But with all of the help from Jackson, Hamblen and Morgantown, we got it out pretty fast.”
Jones also thanked Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Shane Jackson for showing up and helping put out the fire with a garden hose. A conservation officer also drove down 135 to make sure the fire had not spread, Jones said.
Elmore also assisted in fighting that fire and estimated around four acres were lost.
Jackson Fire took drone footage of the damage and shared the video to their Facebook page.
Even with the rain expected today, Elmore said people should be aware that the ground will still be dry under the leaves.
He said building wildlife habitats out of yard debris is one way people can maintain their yards without using fire. “Eventually, the stuff decays in a year. I know a lot of people like everything neat and clean, but a fire is really dangerous,” he said.
“I really caution burning.”
Elmore said if a person is going to burn, they should check the weather to make sure it is not windy or dry. He said that people should also follow state law when burning, which means burning in a fire ring and keeping firefighting equipment — like a hose, shovel and sand — nearby.
“A lot of people set a fire and leave, then don’t monitor it,” Elmore said.
“You really need to monitor it the whole time. … It can get out of control.”
