TIPS FOR SAFE DEBRIS BURNING

Careless debris burning is the major cause of wildland fires in most of the state.  Everyone needs to cooperate and exercise extreme caution with all potential sources of wildfire ignition, if additional senseless and potentially deadly wildfires are to be avoided.

Tips:

· Don’t burn trash and brush on dry, windy days.

· Check to see if weather changes are expected. Outdoor burning should be postponed if shifts in wind direction, higher winds or wind gusts are forecast.

· Before doing any burning, establish wide control lines down to bare mineral soil at least five feet wide around any burn barrels and even wider around brush piles and other piled debris to be burned. The larger the debris pile, the wider the control line needed to ensure that burning materials won’t be blown or roll off the pile into vegetation outside the line.

· Stay with all outdoor fires, until they are completely out.

· Keep water and hand tools ready in case your fire should attempt to spread.

· Burn household trash only in a burn barrel or other trash container equipped with a screen or metal grid to keep burning material contained.

· Never attempt to burn aerosol cans; heated cans will explode. Flying metal may cause injuries and the explosion may scatter burning material into nearby vegetation and cause a wildfire.

· Stay abreast of wildfire danger levels and heed warnings and bans on outdoor burning.

For More Information Contact:

Fire Risk Assessment
John B. Connally Building
301 Tarrow, Suite 304
College Station, Texas 77840
Phone: 9794586530
Fax: 9794587333

Or visit the Texas Forest Service website: http://txforestservice.tamu.edu