Pruitt
As spring approaches, a local firefighter is warning the public about the rules and dangers of open burning.
Open burning is when someone gathers limbs, leftover leaves and brush to burn. However, people often don’t realize there are regulations for open burning, which is restricted by local and state ordinances, said Mike Pruitt, deputy chief of the Bargersville Community Fire Department.
“You just can’t burn anything you want to burn,” Pruitt said.
People also don’t realize how easy it is for fires to get out of control. Unmonitored, open burning can spread quickly to nearby structures, causing damage and serious injury, he said.
In rural areas, natural products tend to be OK to burn as long as they’re monitored and not burned at night. However, if you live in town and start to burn something, it can become a nuisance, he said.
“If it creates a nuisance in your neighborhood, then somebody’s gonna call 911, and report it to the fire department,” he said.”We’re gonna come out and either ask you to extinguish it, or we’ll extinguish it for you.”
Nuisance fires like these can cause negative health effects to members of the community.
Depending on what is burned, smoke can irritate eyes, noses and throats, and cause nausea, rashes and headaches. It can also increase the risk of heart disease, cause or aggravate respiratory ailments such as asthma and cause serious diseases like cancer, he said.
This can also be exacerbated if people throw man-made products, like tires, into their open fires — something people should absolutely not do — as it will give off toxic smoke.
“This is the smoke that we wear respiratory protection as firefighters when we’re dealing with this type of stuff,” he said.
If someone is planning to open burn allowable materials, they should make sure to follow local regulations. People who live in town will often have to put the materials in a container that may have to have a cover on it, or a pit, Pruitt said.
This could also apply to people burning in rural areas as well.
“We just want people to use good judgment,” he said.
If someone plans on burning something that is more natural vegetation, they should make sure to let their local fie department know via a non-emergency number. Letting the department know ahead of time could save the person from having a visit from a fire department, Pruitt said.
People can also ask them for advice about what they are and aren’t allowed to burn.
“Just because you call the fire department doesn’t mean we’re not going to come out,” Pruitt said “It just gives us a heads up to what we’re dealing with, or it can give you some advice on how you should proceed getting rid of any type of brush.”
Where people tend to get themselves in trouble when they burn man-made things in fires. This can create toxic smoke, which could be darker and draws more attention, he said.
If someone has something man-made or hazardous they want to get rid of, they should take it to the correct disposal facility. People can contact the Johnson County Solid Waste Management District for help with this, Pruitt said.
If people decide to burn man-made materials anyway, the fire department will get involved. If it becomes a continuous problem, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management will become involved and could levy fines, he said.
“Unfortunately, you’re taking emergency apparatus out of service to come deal with your illegal burn while somebody else might be in need of medical attention, or another fire call, or anything like that,” Pruitt said.
People who are considering open burning need to do it legally and be good neighbors.
“You want to be good neighbors with everybody around you,” he said. “Every year, we get calls for people who are not being good neighbors.”
