Avoidable Calls Kept Fire Departments Busy

Firefighters from the Willow Springs and Eleven Point Fire Departments were busy fighting preventable fires last week, both WSFD Chief Vance Farmer and Eleven Point Fire Chief Frank Vanhorn confirm. 

“We have been called out for service six times so far this week, and all of these fires, except for one, have been due to people burning trash, brush, or debris and leaving it unattended,” said Chief Farmer. 

Vanhorn’s experience was similar. Of the six calls his department responded to since March 1, he said, “All but one was avoidable…caused by people burning…”

The demand for firefighters’ services was so high, Eleven Point was answering calls for grass fires in Pomona and Mountain View as well, said Vanhorn. 

“People need to be weather-aware and learn proper techniques and times to burn,” he added. 

Days when humidity is low and there is more wind than usual are dangerous days to burn, Farmer told Howell County News.

Last week was particularly dangerous because the recently melted snow and ice left high levels of flammable nitrogen in the ground, making grass fires more prone to burn out of control. 

“The best time to burn is evening when the humidity is higher,” Vanhorn said.