An unattended burn pile located approximately three miles north of Winston escaped containment Wednesday afternoon, burning around ¼ of an acre of vegetation near Happy Valley Road.
Kyle Reed of the Douglas Forest Protective Association said DFPA crews, along with staff from Douglas County Fire District No. 2 and the Winston-Dillard Fire Department responded to the fire shortly after 2:00 p.m. and were quickly able to contain the blaze. Reed said firefighters remained on the scene of the Happy Valley Road Fire for about an hour, mopping up the hot spots.
Reed said that debris burning is the leading cause of wildfires this time of year. He said residents should consider these tips before they conduct a burn:
*Check with the local fire department to see if debris burning is allowed.
*Consider alternatives to burning yard debris such as composting, chipping or recycling the material.
*Don’t burn prohibited materials
*Divide large debris piles into smaller piles
*Before ignition begins, debris piles should be completely surrounded by a fire trail that has been scraped down to mineral soil
*Have a shovel and a charged garden hose at the burn site and stay with the fire until it is completely extinguished.
*Call 911 immediately if a debris-burn escapes containment.
Reed said people should remember that those who choose to burn yard debris are liable for fire suppression costs and most likely the damages to neighboring properties, if their burn escapes containment.