By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The St. Joseph Fire Department has had to deal with a number of grass fires early in the spring.
With the start of open burning at the beginning of April, Fire Inspector Steve Henrichson says the department has already had to work a couple grass fires.
"People that, both Saturday and Sunday it had actually been canceled by the on duty battalion chief, and of course people not listening to the radio and one of them was canceled late, so they didn't know it had been canceled and the wind got it and got away from them," Henrichson tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "So, we've had a couple grass fires yet, but nothing major this year."
Henrichson says if you are burning any yard waste this month to be sure to supervise the fire and to have fire prevention measures in place.
Henrichson says over the last few weeks, even before the start of the April open burning period, there have been more grass fires than usual.
"Because of the high winds and things like that, because if you're not doing it right to start with and you're not paying attention and the high winds take over," Henrichson says. "Most of them though, like the one Sunday, people hadn't been told yet."
High winds have canceled open burning days early on in April.
Henrichson says during the open burning period the more common type of fires the department sees are grass fires.
"It's one of those that it's a nice day outside, you've got yard debris, and a lot of people that move to town don't know that there is a burning ban," Henrichson explains. "If we get called, we go out and explain it the first time, the guys in the trucks have a written warning they can hand them, if it's a continued problem then fire prevention would have to get involved and possibly issue a summons."
Henrichson says 90% of the time people they find burning when they shouldn't is from people calling it into the department.
Open burning runs through April 30th. Only yard waste such as sticks and leaves can be burned between 8am and 6pm in St. Joseph.