Snow would be real nice 'bout now

[ERNIEB]

Re: Snow would be real nice \'bout now

SHF, you have touched on an area that I have often wondered about. It seems like we are under an almost constant burn ban. They seem to put one in effect real quick like, but to get one lifted takes forever. Even if it's rained for 3 days and nights the ban stays in effect. I assume it's the fire marshall that makes the decsion. I just wonder what factors are considered.

Ernie

 

[Bird]

Re: Snow would be real nice \'bout now

Ernie, since I don't live in anyone's city limits, the burn bans are instituted by the county commissioners court. But of course, they just do whatever the fire marshall recommends. The fire marshall is also an assistant fire chief in the county seat, so the city usually has the same burn ban as the rest of the county. The one difference is that if you're caught doing any outdoor burning in the city during the ban, you get a citation, even for the first offense. But out in the county, the deputy sheriff issues a warning on the first offense, then a citation if it's done again during the ban. So, in effect, everyone out in the county gets one free violation./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird

 

[AndyR]

Re: Snow would be real nice \'bout now

The front finally came through about Friday at 1 PM. Dropped 20 degrees in about 10 mintues but took about 12 hours or so for the humidity to bleed off. Today was upper 60's with showers. We could use about a week of good soaking rain though it appears it will only be a day or so. I'm thankfull for any rain at all - things have been pretty dry.

Storm was a bit of a lightweight - just a few minutes of blind deluge and it was gone, though a few towns to the east apparently got the bulk of the wind and lightening.

Andy in NH

 

[ERNIEB]

Re: Snow would be real nice \'bout now

Bird, I think there is a state law against outdoor burning within the limits of any incorporated city. I really don't know who puts the ban on here in Bexar county. I was just wondering what they base it on. Number of days without rain, do they have some kind of test they do, does the fire marshall use a ouiji board/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif does he just decide "Man it sure is dry, I better stop that outdoor burning" That sort of thing. And then how do they know when to lift the ban? If I had the money, I'd buy me one of those wood chippers that was covered in a thread awhile back. Then I would'nt even have to think about burn bans./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Ernie

 

[Bird]

Re: Snow would be real nice \'bout now

<font color=blue>state law against outdoor burning within the limits of any incorporated city</font color=blue>

Ernie, there may be, but I don't know of any such state law. I know a lot of cities have such ordinances, but in a lot of the smaller towns around here, folks still burn a lot of their garbage. And even during the burn bans, you can still do that if you have it in an enclosed or screened container. You can use an ordinary old barrel with a screen or expanded metal cover (I made one for myself and my brother-in-law, but I've about burned mine up and need to make another one./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif). The burn ban just prohibits "open" burning, but of course no matter how you do it, if you let it get away from you, you're liable for any damage it does. My brother had so many cardboard boxes and so much paper to get rid of that he built a nice incinerator at his place. Sheriff's deputies came to his place a couple of times when someone called in to report the burning, so now when they get a call, they just phone my brother's house to ask if he's using his incinerator./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

And as to how the fire marshall decides; I don't know. The newspaper always mentions him appearing at the commissioners' meeting and talking about how long with no rain, humidity, temperature, how many grass fires the fire department has responded to, etc.

Bird

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

Re: Snow would be real nice \'bout now

ErnieB

Our burn bans work a little differently. In the Village burning is pretty much allowed anytime unless there is an outright ban. Outside the Village, they start requiring permits and such. There are evenings in October when you can hardly breathe in town from all of the leaves burning. Yard waste burning is usually spring and fall. Spring is when folks generally get themselves into trouble. Once the snow goes, things dry out real fast and burning is frowned on until green up.

SHF

 

[ERNIEB]

Re: Snow would be real nice \'bout now

Bird, I use a barrel for burning too, shoot a few holes in it and it's good to get rid of paper, boxes, that sort of stuff. So far I haven't had a problem with that.
The population of Saint Hedwig is only about 1,300, but the city limits cover a large area. I'm not sure just how much, but I'm within the city limits. I assume this was done to keep from being swallowed up by San Antonio, who is well known for expanding their limits and providing zero services.
At any rate, One day I had a pile of straw and I decided the best way to get rid of it was to burn it. At that time there was no ban in effect. Someone called the VFD and they showed up. To be honest, it did smoke more than I thought it would. The chief told me, about the state law. But then He said that "we" consider this a farming community and don't really enforce it. Then He said that if I wanted to burn I needed a permit from the county, and then I needed to let the VFD know before I could burn. It seemed alot of trouble to go through just to burn a pile of straw. Thats where I got that state law thing from. It does seem odd to me that the county would give me a permit for essentially breaking a state law.

Ernie

 

[Bird]

Re: Snow would be real nice \'bout now

OK, Ernie, in other words it isn't illegal if you get a permit. That's the case with a lot of things, such as putting in a septic system. We got one new restriction out here in the county last year; we are now supposed to get a permit from the county if we "change the topography" of our land; i.e., moving dirt around or in or out (something to do with the flood plain, drainage, etc.), but no one seems to know yet how much dirt you have to move before you're required to get a permit./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird