State officials are urging citizens to help put a damper on forest arsonists’ costly crimes.
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Fires that swept across thousands of acres in southern Missouri last week destroying homes, automobiles and businesses, could be just a hint of things to come. State officials are urging citizens to help put a damper on forest arsonists’ costly crimes.
County, city and state fire officials suspect arson in many of the 140 fires that blackened more than 15,000 acres March 6 through 9. The largest fire occurred in St. Clair County northeast of Nevada, where 2,000 acres of forest and field went up in smoke. Hundreds of firefighters from as far away as Kansas City and St. Louis converged on Camden County to fight the largest concentration of fires.
Last week’s “natural-cover” fires destroyed 13 homes. In all, the fires damaged or destroyed more than 30 structures according to Bruce Palmer, forestry information coordinator for the Missouri Department of Conservation in Jefferson City.
Doug Halliwell, state fire supervisor for the Missouri Department of Conservation, said the current situation isn’t likely to improve. Some parts of the state went into the year 2000 with a 15-inch precipitation deficit dating back to last summer. Above-average rainfall in February helped in some areas, but those gains can be erased by a few days of clear, windy weather.
Missouri’s long-term weather forecast indicates that the state is likely to get lots of such weather in the coming weeks. The National Weather Service says to expect above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation, except in southeastern Missouri.
“We are likely to have a high fire hazard this spring until the trees leaf out and the grass greens up,” said Palmer. He said unseasonably warm weather could work against firefighters by encouraging trees to leaf out early, exposing them to damage by a late freeze. “If leaf-out gets set back by a hard freeze, trees will have to form new leaves, and that would extend the fire season.”
The weather is beyond Missourians’ control, but their own behavior isn’t. Palmer said lack of caution is responsible for some of Missouri’s wildfires. “People don’t always think as carefully as they should before deciding to burn brush or leaves,” he said. “This time of year, a fire can easily get out of control if the surrounding natural cover is dry or the wind comes up. If you want to burn, it’s a good idea to check with the nearest fire department first and heed their advice. They have access to the latest weather reports, and they know when conditions are too dangerous for burning.”
Some wildfires are set with malicious intent. Palmer said catching those who start natural-cover fires is next to impossible without the help of alert citizens. “All it takes to start a fire this time of year is to drop a match in the right place,” he said. “The few arsonists we do catch almost always are turned in by alert people who don’t take kindly to having their homes and property endangered.”
Operation Forest Arson, a program cosponsored by the Conservation Department and the Conservation Federation of Missouri, allows citizens to call toll-free to report arsonists. An anonymous call to 800/392-1111 is all it takes.
“Setting brush fires isn’t just a prank,” said Palmer. “Firefighters put their lives in danger fighting these fires. People lose their homes, and natural-cover fires cause enormous losses of private and government resources. Everyone should be angry about this, and we should all be watching for chances to stop it.”
Palmer offered the following recommendations to avoid starting a wildfire accidentally:
* If you must burn, pick an overcast day when winds are calm and the humidity is high.
* Notify local fire officials when you intend to burn.
* Burn before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
* After burning, check several times to ensure the fire is out.
* Keep water, rakes, wet gunny sacks and other firefighting tools at hand when burning.
* Call fire officials immediately if a fire escapes.
* Ask your neighbors not to burn on dry, windy days.
* Educate your children to be safe with fire.
Don’t burn brush piles. They make great wildlife habitat and will naturally decay in two to five years.