A recent epidemic of grass and brush fires in Addison and Oxford townships has led fire chiefs in both communities to place moratoriums on all open burning until the landscape gets greener and wetter.
‘It’s treacherous out there,? said Addison Fire Chief George Spencer, who’s department has extinguished 13 grass and brush fires since March 30.
Eight of Addison’s 13 fires have been caused by either illegal burns (i.e. those without permits) getting out of control or people flicking hot cigarette butts on the ground, according to Spencer. Only one fire was caused by a legal burn that got out of control. The remaining four were caused by a downed power line, vehicle fire, discarded ashes from a wood burning stove and one ‘unknown? cause.
‘The vegetation is tinder dry right now,? the chief warned. Spencer noted the last significant precipitation the area received was in March and that was snow. The National Weather Service office in White Lake forecasts dry weather will continue through the end of the week.
People who do discard cigarette butts or other smoking materials on the ground are advised to make sure they have been extinguished and are ‘cold? because they can easily spark a grass fire.
Spencer banned all open burning in the township as of noon April 5 until the ground gets ‘greener and we get a good soaking rain.?
Although he cannot enforce the ban in Leonard, the chief is requesting village residents also refrain from burning until conditions improve.
In Oxford, Fire Chief Jack LeRoy banned open burning in the unincorporated township on Saturday, April 8. Open burning is always illegal in the village.
On Saturday, the chief said two grass fires in Oxford were caused by opening burning that got out of control ? one legal burn on N. Baldwin Road and one illegal burn in the Twin Lakes subdivision off Stanton Road. A third grass fire occurred Sunday on Ludwig Road when a small tractor caught fire.
Like Addison, the chief said Oxford’s ban will remain in place until ‘we get some rain and things green up.? To those who believe their ground cover is sufficiently green for open burning, LeRoy said keep in mind the recent 10-mile-per-hour and above winds can ‘carry sparks quite a ways? and end up ‘burning your neighbor’s property.?
Oxford Township’s open burning season normally runs from October 1 to April 30.
For more information about the rules and restrictions governing open burning and the current bans contact Addison Chief George Spencer at 628-5600 or Oxford Chief Jack LeRoy at 628-2525.