There are ways to prevent grass fires

Dodge County fire departments have fought several grass fires in the past few weeks.

Dry weather and high winds have created favorable conditions for grass fires, but so far only three buildings have burned.

Local fire officials said it’s not a fluke that the recent Dodge County grass fires haven’t grown into large-scale grass fires like the ones in Oklahoma and Texas.

“They have thousands of acres of native grasses — idle ground,” said North Bend Fire Chief Richard King. “Here in Dodge County we have very little of that type of ground. Most of our farmland is worked land.”

The lack of open fields with high grass isn’t the only reason most of the grass fires have been contained.

“It’s not just luck,” said Chief Gary Ogden of the Fremont Rural Fire Department. “The homeowners, farmers and ranchers are doing what they’re supposed to do.”

A lot of that is common sense.

“Preventative maintenance is key,” Ogden said. “Around your homes, outbuildings and sheds keep combustibles at least 20 feet away so if a grass fire does spread there’s a fire break. A small fire can turn large within a few minutes.”

Both men said to keep leaves raked, cut off dead tree limbs and twigs and make sure your lawn is mowed.

“We have a pretty

aggressive open burn permit policy and most people follow it,” King said. “If you are burning, have a source of water available.”

Burn permits are available in the county and neither fire chief cautioned against burning if it’s done properly. A water source should always be kept close.

“You should burn very cautiously,” Ogden said. “If you’re burning your trash off, for example in a 55-gallon drum, the big thing is to keep a screen over it and watch for any embers that pop out.”

Other things can also spark grass fires.

They said cigarettes should be disposed of properly and people should not throw them out of car windows. Motor vehicles also should be kept away from dry grass and shrubs because exhaust systems can start a fire.

“A fire needs three things to survive: fuel (like weeds or dry grass), oxygen and a heat source,” Ogden said. “A lot of grass fires are preventable.”

Helping to prevent grass fires helps the volunteer firefighters.

“(Grass fires) are absolutely hugely taxing on us, not only because of fatigue, but it’s very stressful work and hard work,” King said. “It’s also a huge expense to our fire district.”

This week when the North Bend Fire Department was fighting grass fires, a mutual aid rescue squad had to be called in to handle any possible calls. Mutual aid agreements ensure there is always adequate coverage.

“We are here to provide a service, but the more we run the more it costs taxpayers,” Ogden said.

It can also cost the firefighters.

“A lot of my guys get off work (for fire calls) and they don’t get paid,” Ogden said. “It’s money out of their pockets. But in this county we have a great group of volunteers who show up all the time.”