In the wake of Tuesday night’s severe storms that left destroyed trees and fallen limbs and branches across roads and homes throughout Hamilton County, County Mayor Jim Coppinger said he wanted to remind people the Air Pollution Control Bureau Burn Ban is not in place at this time.
He said, “The Burn Ban begins on May 1, so Hamilton County Citizens who wish to burn the debris from the storm can legally do so.
We hope all citizens will follow the recommendations of the Air Pollution Control Bureau on how to safely burn storm damage.”
County Mayor Coppinger also expressed his appreciation to Bob Colby and the staff of the Air Pollution Control Bureau for their agreeing to waive the normal permit fee for northwestern residents of the county who want to burn storm debris.
Air Pollution Control Bureau officials say residents impacted by the storm will not have to go to the Bureau office to receive a permit. They can contact the APCB on line or by phone (423-643-5971) and a permit will be mailed to them, but they cannot burn until they receive this permit.
The APCB recommends the following:
· Each day before you burn call 423.643.5971 after 8:30 a.m. or go online to www.apcb.org to determine the burning status.
· Contact your local fire department each day prior to burning.
· Only burn if conditions are favorable to burn without creating a nuisance from smoke and ash.
· Burn piles shall not be larger than 12' x 12' x 12'.
· The applicant agrees to burn only vegetation and clean, raw, untreated, non-manufactured wood materials on approved burning days only.
· Burning is allowed on approved burning days. The fire shall be completely extinguished by the termination times. No smoldering is allowed after the termination times. Do not use dirt to try to extinguish the fire. (See permit for hours)
· The burning shall be attended at all times and the permit must be at the burn site and readily available for inspection.
· Permit valid for materials removed/generated from the burn site address. No materials from off-site can be burned.
· Allow wood to season for a week before burning in order to avoid hurtful health issues.
County Mayor Coppinger also praised the quick response of Emergency Management and the Highway Department to the storms that left roads blocked from fallen trees and many without power. “We were fortunate last night that no one was injured during this severe weather event. Our Emergency Management team worked closely with local officials in the northwestern part of the county to make sure everyone was safe. Our Highway Department teams were on call and dispatched to troubled areas as soon as notified. Our highway crews worked through the night to clear roadways for safe passage during the morning commute. Our people train for events like this year round and residents got an opportunity last night to see how training and diligence pay off with a quick return to normalcy despite the fury of Mother Nature.”