June 30, 2009

Fire season starts off hot
Burning bans take effect Wednesday

By Rodger Nichols
The Chronicle

     Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue had a busy weekend, responding to a half-dozen fires in the area. Fire officials issued three statements Monday, including a prohibition on all outdoor burning, effective July 1.
     Fire crews arrived at 6875 Mill Creek Sunday to find a 10 foot by 14 foot storage building fully involved with the threat of spreading to the residence and hillside. Crews were able to contain the fire to the storage shed, but investigation into the cause of the blaze was hindered by the extent of the damage. Ultimately the cause was described as “Undetermined due to the extent of damage, with the most probable cause associated with an electrical system failure.”
     Sunday night, crews responded at 10:30 p.m. to the first fireworks-caused fire of the season, which burned three to five acres of grass at The Dalles Dam viewpoint. Five 16-year-olds were cited for possession of illegal fireworks, two were cited for manufacture of a destructive device and one was cited for reckless burning. All were released to their parents. Crews from Dallesport had also responded to assist on the fire, but then had to go home to combat a fire in their own jurisdiction in the area of Hess Park. Some local crews were on the scene until after 1 a.m. Monday.
     The department noted that Oregon defines illegal fireworks as “any device that flies, explodes, or acts in an unpredictable manner.” Anyone caught with illegal fireworks will have the fireworks confiscated and will be cited.
     Oregon allows for all costs of fighting a fireworks-caused fire to be charged to the people who used the fireworks and caused the fire.
     In addition, fire officials announced that effective July 1 at 12:01 a.m., all outdoor burning within Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue boundaries will be prohibited for the rest of this fire season.
     That means all burn permits are revoked, and people will have to apply for new permits once the fire season is over.
     Sherman County also announced a burn ban starting July 1 for the cities of Grass Valley, Moro, Rufus and Wasco and for the Moro and North Sherman County rural fire protection districts. The ban includes burning in barrels and incinerators and on agricultural lands.
     Again, officials reminded the public that if fire crews are called out for a fire caused by an illegal burn, the offending person can be charged all the direct costs of fighting that fire.