On April 22, 2013 at 12:05 PM, E526 and C501 were dispatched to the area of Old Highway 93 and Rock Chuck Rd for a large brushfire after receiving multiple reports of smoke in the area . Units arrived on scene to find a quarter acre fire near a home that was sparked due to a homeowner burning trash during red flag conditions and left the fire unattended when it was "thought to be out". The main fire was quickly knocked down but multiple spot fires began popping up roughly 100+ ft from the main fire. Due to the nearly ten spot fires that were beginning to torch, E521 was requested for water and manpower. The fire was held at half an acre and crews remained on scene for approximately 2 hours while the fire was contained and mopped up. The homeowner was educated on burning during red flag conditions and although out of the fire district, was strongly urged to notify the fire district in the future for information on current fire weather conditions before burning. We would like to remind the public that when one decides to burn outside, you:
- Choose a cooler day with light to no winds
- Burn in a barrel with a screen over the top of it to minimize the chance of an ember escaping
- Always burn in a cleared area away from flammable items
- With an active water source nearby
- NEVER leave a fire unattended
For those outside of the fire district, we urge you to contact the fire district at 928.757.1207 as a courtesy. We may be aware of fire weather conditions for the day(s) and may strongly recommend to wait until more suitable conditions exist.
For those within the fire district, a burn permit is required for any kind of open burning. One can be obtained by calling Station 51 at 928.757.1207 or stopping by Station 51 (2836 DW Ranch Rd) or Station 52 (6095 E. Firegrounds Rd) Monday through Sunday, 8am - 5pm.
Article By Lt. Ron Hood
Photos By Captain Gail Jackson
