MARIETTA - Dry and warm conditions in November could make it ideal for brush fires, officials said.
At least five brush fires that required response from local fire departments have occurred this season, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
"We've had four or five in our district - nothing real major. The biggest was probably around 10 acres," said Ron Warren, chief of the Little Muskingum Volunteer Fire Department.
Photo by Sam Shawver
Chief Mark Wile, with the Warren Volunteer Fire Department, checks gauges and controls on the department’s 2-year-old brush truck. The vehicle can haul 200 gallons of water to fight brush fires.
Most brush fires are started by someone burning trash or leaves, he said.
"People need to keep a close watch when burning outdoors, because once it starts a brush fire can spread really quick," Warren said. "When burning trash they should put a screen over the top of the burn barrel to keep ashes from flying into the air and possibly causing a fire."
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources reports an average of 1,000 wildfires destroy between 4,000 and 6,000 acres of grass and forest land every year. About 15,000 wildfires occur each year in the state.
Tips to Help Prevent Wildfires
* If you burn leaves and debris, consider composting instead.
* Make sure recreational fires are made in a fire-safe pit or container and completely extinguished before leaving.
* Before lighting any outdoor fire, check for local restrictions and permit requirements.
* Avoid lighting fires when high winds, high temperatures and low humidities are present or predicted.
* Do not dispose of ashes until they are cold to the touch.
* Store gasoline, oily rags and other flammable materials in approved safety cans. Keep those safety cans in a fire-resistant metal or brick building or your garage.
* Are there any branches close to power lines on your property? Ask the power company to clear them.
Source: www.dnr.state.oh.us -Tips provided by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Firewise Program
During Ohio's wildfire seasons - March, April and May in the spring, and October and November during the fall - open burning is prohibited between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. in unincorporated areas.
"Normally after 6 p.m. the winds have died down and there's dew on the grass, so there's less chance of a fire," Warren said.
He said manpower can be a problem during brush fires, especially those that occur during daytime hours when most volunteer firefighters are at work.
"A small fire may require four or five firefighters, but several fire companies may have to be called out on larger brush fires," Warren said.
Brush fires are also time-consuming for local fire companies, Greg Fisher with the Barlow Volunteer Fire Department said.
"We had a fire a couple of weeks ago that took an hour-and-a-half to bring under control. But the overhaul (checking for burning undergrowth and other hot spots) made it a five-hour fire," he said.
A brush fire can quickly spread out of control, Fisher said.
"Even after a rain, the ground underneath quickly dries up and leaves and grass can easily catch fire," he said.
The wetter the weather, the better for fire prevention, Fisher said.
"People don't like to hear it sometimes, but the best thing is to have a nice snowy winter that packs down vegetation and keeps it wet," he said.
During a normal year, Barlow may respond to a couple of brush fires, Fisher said.
"But then in some years we've had eight to 12 in a month," he added.
Like the Little Muskingum VFD, Barlow also has to deal with limited manpower to fight brush fires.
"The state doesn't have many resources to offer, although we can call on them for a larger fire," Fisher said.
Brush fires can spread to homes or other buildings, causing far more costly damage, the chiefs said. Other hazards also exist, like natural gas lines that often lie on or just below the ground surface in rural areas.
"We try to determine if there are any gas lines in the area when setting up a perimeter around a brush fire," Warren said. "It doesn't take long for a fire to melt through a plastic gas line and that can create a real problem."
The Warren Township Volunteer Fire Department recently had first-hand experience with a burned gas line, Chief Mark Wile said.
"A man was burning leaves in a ditch where a gas line ran underneath a roadway," he said. "Part of the line was exposed and the fire burned it in two."
The ruptured line looked like a blowtorch when the fire hit it, he said.
"We were able to track the line to the gas well where we closed off the valve then contacted the well owner," he said.
Fighting a brush fire can be expensive, too, Wile said, noting the wear and tear on hoses and other equipment, as well as the use of a special foam fire suppressant by the department's brush truck.
Unlike structure fires, a brush fire is a moving target that can spread into areas of a field or forest that may be inaccessible to vehicles. A spreading fire may also require redirection of personnel and equipment, which can cause delays in putting the blaze out, he said.
Several million acres are burned annually across the United States due to wildfires, according to the Ohio DNR Web site.
In contrast to the human-caused fires of the Eastern U.S., many western wildfires are caused by lightning and often burn for extended periods of time, resulting in massive loss of natural resources and property.