Friday, 20 October 2006 00:55
CDF Announces End of Burning Suspension In Calaveras/Tuolumne Unit
Effective 8:00 a.m. Monday, October 23, 2006, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) will lift the suspension of burning on private land within the Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit. This will impact our Calaveras County viewers only. This includes the counties of Calaveras, Tuolumne, and those eastern portions of San Joaquin and Stanislaus that are within the State Responsibility Area. Burning will be allowed, with a valid permit, between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. on permissive burn nights, as established by the Air Pollution Control District in each county. Before doing any burning, you must obtain a valid permit from the fire protection agency having jurisdiction over your area, and check the current night’s burn status by calling your county’s Air Pollution Control District.
You must follow the terms of your permit. Never burn during high winds. Limit burn piles to four feet in diameter. Remove all flammable material and vegetation from the area within 10 feet of the outer edge of the pile. A responsible person must be in attendance with a shovel and water until the fire is completely out. Burn only clean, dry vegetative material. Do not burn household or commercial trash, tires, plastic or other garbage. Avoid burning piles of pine needles, which smolder and often spread dense smoke over entire neighborhoods. Leave pine needles on the ground for erosion control over the winter or burn them with other dry vegetation. Fire season is still in effect, and the potential for damaging fire remains. Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit Chief Mike Noonan adds this caution when burning outdoors, “Even though the danger is much less, a fire can still escape. It is critical that the person conducting the burn keep close watch on the fire at all times. If the fire gets away, that person can be held liable for the damage and suppression costs.” A burn permit is required annually from the Air Pollution Control Districts in some areas. Check with the local Air Pollution Control Districts for “permissive burn nights” by phoning the Amador Air District. Here in Amador County the Amador Air District is currently evaluating the establishment of a no-burn season annually from May 1st through October 31st. Brought to the air board’s attention by Pollution Control Officer Jim Harris, this would implement six months of being able to burn and six months of no burn. Harris feels that through establishing a 6 month burn season and a 6 month no burn season he will achieve making 100% of the residents happy 50% of the time. However, Air Board Members Gary Wooten and Richard Vinson voiced concern about taking such a big step without public input. The board agreed to hold a public meeting at the next Air District meeting in order to allow public input about what has been termed a drastic change in the air district’s burn policies. The meeting will be held November 21st at 1:30 p.m.
