• Sophia Lesseos

YAKIMA, WA - Heading into the spring it is very popular for people to have controlled fires before wildfire season starts, but sometimes controlled burns can get out of control.

Prescribed burns or controlled burns usually are done by setting planned fires to maintain the health of the environment or burning extra bush and debris that piled up throughout the season.

Yakima County Fire District 12 typically goes to more than 50 calls for controlled fires every year.

With any intentional set fire, there are some rules and regulations you need to follow to keep you and your neighbors safe.

In Yakima County, there are limited outdoor burn areas regulated by the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency.

"Burning is kind of popular in the county just as a way to clear brush and get rid of debris and tumbleweeds," said Chief Nathan Craig, Yakima County Fire District 12.

If you are planning to have a controlled burn, there are 5 steps you need to take first.

1. Have a permit

2. Check the weather and environment to make sure it's safe

3. Come up with a plan

4. Never leave flames unwatched

5. When you're done, make sure the ashes are cold

1. HAVE A PERMIT

Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency handles all the burn permits for Yakima County. They have a few agents in the upper and lower valleys for residential permits only for March 15 through October 15 to make it easier for residents. People can come to the clean air agency or the agents to fill out a burn permit application or email their application in. They will approve the application on a case-to-case basis.

2. CHECK THE WEATHER AND ENVIRONMENT TO MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE

"Here you know we have fires that start because of people doing controlled burning," said Chief Craig. "Typically what happens is they have a burn and they think the fires out they leave the wind comes up in the evening it blows embers into the dry brush and it starts a brush fire or in some cases starts their home on fire."

Yakima County Fire District 12 highly recommends not starting a controlled burn if it is windy outside or it is extremely hot.

3. COME UP WITH A PLAN

If you plan on burning an area, make sure you have a plan on how you are going to put it out and what you would do if it gets out of control.

"Make sure you have water available," said Chief Craig. "A shovel and then notify your local fire department that you're going to have a burn because we notify dispatch to try to prevent false alarms."

4. NEVER LEAVE FLAMES UNWATCHED

There is always some risk with fires, and can possibly get out of hand. Fire District 12 recommends always watching the fire, even if it's almost out.

5. WHEN YOU'RE DONE, MAKE SURE THE ASHES ARE COLD

Fires can ignite again if they are not put out properly so fire district 12 recommends having the ashes of the fire be cold before you leave. This rule also applies to bonfires and cookouts outside.

"Same rules apply though you don't want to burn your house down because you wanted to cook hotdogs over a fire," said Chief Craig.

Sometimes it's hard to tell whether or not a fire in the distance is a wildfire or a controlled burn, so here are signs to look out for...

If the fire doesn't seem like it's spreading or moving and if you see a big pile of debris with dirt surrounding it, it's probably controlled.

"From a distance, someone saw smoke and decided "oh I'm going to call 911 there's a fire" well yes there's a fire but it's a controlled fire an outdoor burn that someone's having," said Chief Craig. "Fire departments are not the burning police we don't issue burn permits, we don't regulate burning, but we end up being the ones that have to be called when someone calls in basically a false alarm."

If you plan on having a controlled burn, make sure you call up your local fire district and give them a heads up before lighting the flame.