Clearing for Mom and Dads house & the Fire Department!

Post by **bman** » March 25th, 2007, 8:51 am

Had to share this... You learn something new every day.
Finally jumped through all the hoops at the county and got my building permit for Mom and Dad's retirement house...
A friend came out to clear the lot and got most of it done Friday.

Saturday we started a big burn pile- We are in the county and got a permit to burn- so we all think "No Problem"....
Nice fire- Maybe well get some hot dogs and a cold one, Spend the evening just hanging out.

Then about dusk the fire department shows up.

Some one complained and they tell us there is an ordinance that prohibits fires after dusk in Leon county.

They say they hate putting it out. They were just about to have dinner at the fire station when the guy came by to complain.
We have it well under control and have the right equipment on site.
But the law is the law and they have to put it out. Come back tomorrow and light it up again.

Any more than a cooking fire at night is illegal in Leon County.
One of the Firefighters said they have been forced to put out a bonfire at an oyster roast because a neighbor called to complain...
Better hope your neighbor likes you!

Post by **mjsigns** » March 25th, 2007, 8:58 am

Go figure. Thanks for passing the message along.

It's never fun when the fire department comes to your property
to put out a fire.

Great pictures

Post by **RodBow** » March 25th, 2007, 8:59 am

so, how do you start a soaked pile of brush?

Post by **birddog** » March 25th, 2007, 9:05 am

Barry I don't think its a county ordinance as much as its a rule enforced by Florida Division of Forestry. Everytime we cut timber and have the woods debis piled to burn we have to get a permit from DOF. They always demand the piles be out by dark. Its mostly a smoke mangement issue. On these cool nights a temperature inversion is formed and the atmosphere acts like a lid to prevent the smoke from escaping up and away. The smoke settles down drainages and fogs in roadways, creating a traffic hazard. The only way we have found to comply with DOF is to make the piles small enough that they will burn in 1 day. Its aggravating as hell, particularly since they won't let you begin burning until 9:00 a.m.

I hope you are back trying to burn it today. It'll take forever to burn that wet soggy pile. The ridiculous thing is its gonna make more smoke now that it wet.

Good luck with it.

Post by **bman** » March 25th, 2007, 9:24 am

9am?? I think he was going to get out there at daylight....
We are driving by in a few minutes and hopefully they havent put it out again.

The Fire Department said it was a county ordinance...
and even covered small bonfires or open fires not used for cooking!

I guess its a Division of Forestry thing also.

For the record- they wer nice folks just doing their job.

Post by **Barhopr** » March 25th, 2007, 9:47 am

Sounds like a pain in the butt, but, It's for the best. Someone runs off the road or has a traffic accident they'll be looking for you for the lawsuit saying it was the smoke that caused it.