NEWS

JANUARY 2010       

FEBRUARY 2010

fire danger 02.23.10

THE TARKINGTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT IS URGING EXTREME CAUTION WITH OUTDOOR BURNING, EVEN REQUESTING RESIDENTS TO POSTPONE CONTROLLED FIRES UNTIL SPRING TIME. ACCORDING TO TARKINGTON ASSISTANT CHIEF DALTON GREGORY, THE HARD FREEZE IN EARLY DECEMBER KILLED A LARGER-THAN-NORMAL AMOUNT OF VEGETATION. NOW, THAT DEAD BRUSH IS PROVIDING FUEL FOR FIRES. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FIREMAN SAID RECENT RAINS HAVEN’T LESSENED THE PROBLEM. INSTEAD, THE SOGGY CONDITIONS ARE ACTUALLY COMPLICATING THE SITUATION BY PREVENTING FIREFIGHTERS FROM USING THEIR TRUCKS EFFECTIVELY. TARKINGTON VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS FACED THOSE ISSUES SATURDAY AFTERNOON WHEN THEY RESPONDED TO A LARGE BRUSH FIRE ON COUNTY ROAD 3017C. FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED TO FIND ABOUT A HALF-ACRE ON FIRE WITH THE BLAZE QUICKLY SPREADING INTO A NEARBY FOREST AND PASTURE. SOME FIREFIGHTERS USED HAND TOOLS TO FIGHT THE PASTURE FIRE WHILE OTHERS POSITIONED A BOOSTER TRUCK TO COMBAT THE FOREST FIRE WITH HOSES. HOWEVER, THE TRUCK GOT STUCK IN THE MUD DURING THE EFFORT. AFTER THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, THE TARKINGTON VOLUNTEERS WERE UNABLE TO REMOVE THE VEHICLE, EVEN WITH THE USE OF A TRACTOR. EVENTUALLY, A LOCAL WRECKER SERVICE WAS CALLED TO PULL THE FIRE TRUCK FREE. BECAUSE OF THE SOGGY GROUND CONDITIONS ALONG WITH THE LARGE AMOUNT OF DEAD DEBRIS THROUGHOUT LIBERTY COUNTY, TARKINGTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS ARE URGING FOLKS TO POSTPONE PRESCRIBED BURNINGS UNTIL SPRING. IF YOU MUST BURN NOW, FIREFIGHTERS SAY TO MAKE SURE THE AREA IS CLEARED OF DEAD, DRY VEGETATION DOWN TO THE SOIL. ALWAYS HAVE ADEQUATE WATER SUPPLIES HANDY, AND NEVER LEAVE A FIRE UNATTENDED. TARKINGTON FIREMEN SAY TO CALL YOUR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT AT THE FIRST SIGNS OF TROUBLE. FIREFIGHTERS WOULD RATHER ARRIVE TO FIND THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED THAN TO BE CALLED AFTER THE FIRE IS OUT OF CONTROL AND SPREADING. A REMINDER – OUTDOOR BURNING IS PROHIBITED BY LAW INSIDE CORPORATE LIMITS OF MOST CITIES. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, CHECK WITH CITY HALL OR CITY POLICE ABOUT THE LAW IN THE CITY WHERE YOU ARE PLANNING TO BURN.