Greg Jordan
Bluefield Daily Telegraph, W.Va.
(MCT)
Mar. 3—MATOAKA — Firefighters climbed more than 100 yards up a mountainside Wednesday after a structure fire spread to nearby woods near Matoaka.
Members of the Matoaka Volunteer Fire Department, East River Volunteer Fire Department, Montcalm Volunteer Fire Department and Bluestone Valley Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched about 2:05 p.m. to Church Hollow Road after a structure fire was reported.
Assistant Chief J.A White with the Matoaka department said an abandoned structure had burned, and that the fire’s source was undetermined.
Wind helped the fire spread to about 5 acres of forest above the structure. Firefighters pulled hoses about 100 to 150 yards up the mountainside to cut off the fire’s spread and keep it from reaching a vacant home that stood nearby, White said. Fire engines and other vehicles had to back down the narrow, one-lane road when they cleared the scene.
The Princeton Rescue Squad, West Virginia Division of Forestry and Mercer County Emergency Services were also at the scene.
White said that West Virginia’s outdoor burning laws are now in effect. No outdoor fires are allowed until after 5 p.m.
Outdoor burning is only allowed from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. Residents caught burning between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. face citations and fines up to $1,000, according to state Division of Forestry officials.
The Division of Forestry offered these tips for safe outdoor burning:
—Burn only after 5 p.m. and put fires out completely by 7 a.m.
—Put debris in several small piles instead of one large one.
—Never burn on dry, windy days.
—Select a safe place away from overhead power lines, phone lines or other obstructions and where the fire cannot spread into the woods or weedy or brushy areas.
明确至少一个类似火和周边地区make sure the area is clear of all burnable material.
—Have water and tools on hand to extinguish anything that may escape the burn area.
—Be conscientious of neighbors and don’t burn debris that produces a lot of smoke at times when smoke does not rise. If the smoke spreads out near the ground instead of rising put out the fire and burn another time.
—Stay with the fire at all times until it is completely out. Leaving a fire unattended for any length of time is illegal.
—Call 911 immediately if a fire does escape.
—Contact local city government offices for possible burning ordinances when burning within city limits.
— Contact Greg Jordan atgjordan@bdtonline.com
Contact Greg Jordan atgjordan@bdtonline.com
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