With the recent fires popping off in the region, Scottsbluff Fire Prevention Officer Christopher Perales Jr. wants to remind the public about the fire dangers that we face in Western Nebraska.
This week’s Betty Way Fire in North Platte consumed more than 71,000 acres, and serves as a great reminder to the public that even with the recent moisture we have seen, there is still plenty of dead vegetation. That, paired with warm temperatures, low humidity and high winds, it’s the perfect combination to produce an increase in fire danger.
We want to take the time to remind the public to be responsible, most of these fires are preventable, and if a fire causes property damage you could potentially be held responsible for that. Here are some key reminders:
- Don’t park your vehicle over overgrown dead vegetation.
- Don’t throw your cigarettes out of the window.
- Never leave any fire unattended, and ensure the fire is completely out by drowning it with water
- If doing work in a field that may produce heat or sparks, ensure you have a fire extinguisher or water available to put any fire out that may start. Even mowed dried vegetation can catch on fire and spread rapidly under the right conditions.
Currently at this time there are no burn bans in effect, however if you will be performing any controlled burns, you are required to obtain a Burn Permit from your Fire Department prior to burning, and you will need to contact the Communication Center and let them know that you will be burning, and you can only burn from sunrise to sunset. Additionally you should also be checking the weather forecast for the day, if there are any Red Flag Warnings, or risk the fire may get out of control, you should not be burning, as you could be held responsible for any fire that gets out of control.
