Fire Department

The burning of trash in an east side backyard caught the attention of neighbors, who were concerned about the amount of smoke seen in the neighborhood.

Engine Company 5 noticed white smoke and a smell of burning plastic as they arrived to the 600 block of Merryturn Road. Firefighters walked the neighborhood to attempt to locate the source of the smoke, ultimately finding an unattended fire in a residential backyard.

A plastic soda bottle, aluminum cans, printer paper, and other items were burning in a metal burn bowl, and there was no cover on the bowl to capture any wayward sparks and embers.  

Firefighters made contact with the homeowner, who said he was generally unfamiliar with the City’s outdoor burning ordinance. Engine Company 5 educated him that only clean dry wood can be burned, that a spark arrestor must cover the fire, and that the fire must be attended at all times.

The crew grabbed a garden hose and extinguished the fire, and the man was left with a copy of the City’s Outdoor Burning Ordinance for future reference.