Hello everyone and welcome to May.
The ole saying goes “April showers, bring May flowers” and we certainly had some heavy rain events during April. I heard somewhere that the last big storm that passed through dumped as much rain as a small hurricane might have. I know we had a lot of rain, and it kept your Theodore Dawes Fire Department busy. Let’s hope May is not as eventful and we can enjoy more flowers than anything else. I would like to remind the community that with May, also comes the annual Alabama Department of Environmental Managements (ADEM) annual burn
ban.
The ADEM burn ban runs from May 1st until October 31st and here’s the thing everyone should be aware of. This burn ban has absolutely nothing to do with our weather conditions. The ADEM burn ban affects 12 counties in Alabama that have air quality issues and was put in place to reinforce a Federal Clean Air Act. Simply stated, from May to November, by law individuals are not allowed to burn. Regardless of whether you are outside a city and in the County, you are not supposed to burn. Instead, you are encouraged to compost or remove materials to a land fill. I will also advise the community that ADEM has the authority to fine you for burning and do not have to catch you in the act. Simply by finding evidence of a fire, you could be fined. Another keynote is complaints can be filed against you and your fire anonymously on the ADEM website. Mobile County Environmental Enforcement group (litter patrol) can levy citations for illegal burning and dumping in our area. Again, property owners who cannot seem to abide by can be reported by an anonymous source and fined can be issued. I recently received a call about burning on a property and the materials being burned. I will remind everyone that it is never legal to burn household garbage or other plastics and liquids. You should also know that it is illegal to burn vegetation that did not originate on your property. Example: you have a business that trims trees and/or clears lots. It is illegal for you to bring that material to your property and burn it for disposal, it should be left at the property of origin and hauled to a landfill. TDFR responds to many of these types of fires during this time of year, some are for complaints about the smoke, and some are because a citizen saw smoke and was concerned. Our personnel respond and, in most cases, once the property owner is made aware of the burn ban, the fire is extinguished. There are those occasional situations where an individual refuses and we must get law enforcement out to help us explain the gravity of the situation. Folks, life is short and there is no need to be like that. Please don’t be that person.
On another topic, kids will start summer break somewhere around the end of May. Meaning the possibility of more youngsters out playing in the neighborhoods and streets. Pay attention when behind the wheel and keep a look out for those Kido’s enjoying some time away from
schoolwork.
As always, be safe.
Chief Byrd