Almost annually, I write about this same subject at this time of year.
That’s because of the simple fact that although I know most people who read this column are already aware of the matter, I always hope that one or two readers who aren’t have a “lightbulb moment” and realize they might want to rethink their motivations and actions.
Here’s this year’s version (which borrows a bit from last year’s).
Being a firefighter isn’t an easy task, and that certainly applies in rural areas like the South Central Missouri Ozarks.
In addition to going face-to-face with flames, smoke and scorching temperatures, there’s the constant upkeep of equipment, the ongoing training and education, and much, much more to deal with on a regular basis. So even if there was nothing other than responding to calls and the daily regimen of other chores, the job of a rural firefighter would involve many challenges and a significant amount of strenuous effort.
But unfortunately, there is something added. Something highly illogical that rears its ugly head on a strangely frequent basis. And no matter how objectively you look at it, it’s something that’s pretty hard to comprehend or understand.
It’s the way people insist on conducting outdoor burning in extremely dry conditions when the wind is blowing with significant force.
Most people would never consider such a daredevil activity and are compelled to wonder why a fellow member of humanity would. But as is evidenced by recent incidents, there’s a small percentage of people who apparently don’t recognize the risk and can’t keep themselves from doing it.
A prime example took place on Tuesday of last week when several area fire departments had personnel on scene at a wildfire fueled by ultra-dry surroundings and fanned by strong winds that originated with a “burn pile” of random objects and trash. And sadly, that wasn’t the only recent occasion that local firefighters were forced to tend to the results of someone’s misguided attempt to do an outdoor burn of some sort.
It’s such a shame, because you just know that someday there will be a big house fire or other emergency situation and the closest department won’t be able to properly respond due to having too much equipment and manpower involved in saving a guy’s barn and his neighbor’s house after he torched a pile of junk on a dry and windy afternoon.
OK, I know it’s not illegal, and I know you want to “get ’er done” now rather than later because there’s another chore that awaits, and you want to get the burn pile out of the way before you tackle it. But as a long-time home and property owner, I know there’s a strong chance that other chore could be focused on without any adverse effect, no matter what the weather.
Basically, there’s literally always something on the “to do list,” so the burn can wait. It really can.
“But I’ll make sure nothing happens,” you say.
Maybe. But many a burnmeister has believed the same thing shortly before calling 911.
Firefighting officials often issue statements urging the public to avoid outdoor burning during “Red Flag Warning” conditions, but it’s kind of hard to tell if they have any positive effect at all, because every time it’s dry and windy, wildfires start popping up all over the place and firefighters have some long days. I find that baffling – and rather unfair.
Anyway, the subject of outdoor burning in dry, windy conditions is all about employing common sense and thinking twice before you do it.
One way it view it is like the opposite of Nike’s slogan: Just don’t do it.
Doug Davison is a writer, photographer and newsroom assistant for the Houston Herald. Email: ddavison@houstonherald.com.