Good day All;
Summer is upon us and with it comes fires. Hopefully this year will be much better from a forest fire standpoint. The rains are back and our drought is over but there are other fires which can be just as devastating to our community. These are the ones which start from our fire pits or burn piles of tree trimmings. It does not take much for something to go wrong and other bushes or trees catch fire.
Please check the areas surrounding your fire pits or burn areas for encroaching bushes or overhanging trees. The amount of heat coming off even a small sized burn pile can ignite greenery 10 to 15 feet away. Throwing a pile of limbs on an already burning fire can shoot the flames up more than most expect. We urge everyone to use common sense. Never leave a fire unattended, or throw leaves on a fire. We also need to be aware of which direction the wind will be blowing the smoke if burning yard trimmings.
The Transylvania County regulations state that burning anything over the size of a small brush pile must be accompanied by a burn permit. One part of that permit states that the fire must be 500 feet from an occupied structure and 200 feet from a road. I do not know of any spot in our community that would allow for this. So please if you have a large amount of trimmings, haul them off. I’m not sure of the NC laws regarding fireworks but shooting them off in the woods is not a good idea.
Have a great summer of marshmallow roasting and hot dog cooking.
John McClung
President ILC