Jim Salter

The Upper Allen Fire Chief Tom Shumberger Jr. asks you to remain vigilant when conducting such fires.

When open burning, follow these safety tips to protect your and others’ health and safety and to prevent wildfires:

~Be mindful of your neighbors and surroundings to ensure the burning is not impacting others.
To reduce the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released, use electric (windproof) lighters, charcoal chimneys, or newspapers for ignition instead of charcoal lighter fluid.
~Never use gasoline to start or fuel a fire.
~Gasoline is highly volatile and can explode and spread flames quickly upon lighting, which can cause serious or fatal injuries to people and animals and damage property.
~Never burn recently cut green wood that still has internal moisture or damp wood. Moisture interferes with combustion, and burning green or damp wood will produce more smoke and fewer flames.
~Always make sure fires are completely extinguished before leaving the area. Drown all embers, charcoal briquettes, and ash with water. Turn them over with a shovel, drown them again, and repeat the process until embers and ashes are completely cold. If water is not available, use dirt or sand to stir into and cool ashes.
Never put hot coals or ash from an extinguished fire into a trash can where the embers could ignite the trash, causing uncontrolled flames, serious injury, or property damage.