With spring comes green grass, flowers, the occasional thunderstorm and, among several other things, the urge to clean.
“Spring cleaning,” as it is often called, can include a complete makeover of the interior and exterior of one’s home. Cleaning outside, one may find the sudden itch to rake and burn the limbs and leaves left over from late autumn or winter.
Wind is another product of the pre-summer season, and wind and fire can make up a dangerous combination.
Such was the scenario Saturday at about 10:30 p.m., when the Arkadelphia Fire Department was dispatched to a residence on South 23rd Street in reference to a lawn fire. According to Fire Chief Ricky Arnold, the homeowner had earlier burned leaves earlier in the day and left the pile, thinking it was under control. A few strong gusts of wind, however, swept through the city later, reigniting the blaze and spreading it to an area near a neighboring home.
Arnold said the homeowner had the fire under control once he called 911; but firefighters arrived to completely extinguish it.
“Call us before you burn,” Arnold said. The fire department may grant the permission to burn or not, depending on the weather conditions. Arnold said leaving a pile of burning yard debris unattended could lead to major problems. “It could spread to other people’s yards, and it could burn a house down. If you do get permission to burn leaves, make sure the fire is completely out before you go to bed or quit watching it.”
Arkadelphia residents cannot legally burn anything other than yard materials like leaves and limbs. A city ordinance prohibits residents from burning building materials, tires, plastics or other household waste products.
Also, it is illegal to burn anything on a city street or sidewalk, as a fire will burn out the petroleum-based products in the road, thus creating a pothole. A fire will also consume the moisture in concrete, causing it to crack or weaken.
“It’s not a real frequent deal,” Arnold said when asked if the fire department is called out to many wind-related fires. “Mostly, it’s the people complaining in the areas” where there is a yard fire. “People on oxygen or who have other health-related reasons that can’t handle the smoke. They call us (to complain), and we will go ask them to put out the fire.”
To report an emergency fire, call 911; to get permission to burn in Arkadelphia, call 246-9364; to get permission to burn in the county, call 246-2222.
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With spring comes green grass, flowers, the occasional thunderstorm and, among several other things, the urge to clean.
“Spring cleaning,” as it is often called, can include a complete makeover of the interior and exterior of one’s home. Cleaning outside, one may find the sudden itch to rake and burn the limbs and leaves left over from late autumn or winter.
Wind is another product of the pre-summer season, and wind and fire can make up a dangerous combination.
Such was the scenario Saturday at about 10:30 p.m., when the Arkadelphia Fire Department was dispatched to a residence on South 23rd Street in reference to a lawn fire. According to Fire Chief Ricky Arnold, the homeowner had earlier burned leaves earlier in the day and left the pile, thinking it was under control. A few strong gusts of wind, however, swept through the city later, reigniting the blaze and spreading it to an area near a neighboring home.
Arnold said the homeowner had the fire under control once he called 911; but firefighters arrived to completely extinguish it.
“Call us before you burn,” Arnold said. The fire department may grant the permission to burn or not, depending on the weather conditions. Arnold said leaving a pile of burning yard debris unattended could lead to major problems. “It could spread to other people’s yards, and it could burn a house down. If you do get permission to burn leaves, make sure the fire is completely out before you go to bed or quit watching it.”
Arkadelphia residents cannot legally burn anything other than yard materials like leaves and limbs. A city ordinance prohibits residents from burning building materials, tires, plastics or other household waste products.
Also, it is illegal to burn anything on a city street or sidewalk, as a fire will burn out the petroleum-based products in the road, thus creating a pothole. A fire will also consume the moisture in concrete, causing it to crack or weaken.
“It’s not a real frequent deal,” Arnold said when asked if the fire department is called out to many wind-related fires. “Mostly, it’s the people complaining in the areas” where there is a yard fire. “People on oxygen or who have other health-related reasons that can’t handle the smoke. They call us (to complain), and we will go ask them to put out the fire.”
To report an emergency fire, call 911; to get permission to burn in Arkadelphia, call 246-9364; to get permission to burn in the county, call 246-2222.
