RURAL FIRE CAUSES CONFUSION; FIREFIGHTERS RESPOND TO CONTROLLED BURNING

Firefighters Friday responded to a report of a fire at an abandoned house only to find out that its owner had set the fire to get rid of the structure.

Officials of rural fire departments in the area said they often are called to such fires. They asked that people notify authorities before setting large fires.

The fire Friday was on County Road 465 just west of Jackson.

A neighbor driving past the house saw the flames shooting from the roof and called 911. The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department dispatched the Millersville Fire Department.

With advance notice of the fire, firefighters wouldn't have been called out, said Ruth Ann Dickerson of the sheriff's department.

Capt. Donnie Smith of the Millersville Fire Department said he expects similar situations to occur this spring. Often, property owners don't realize the risk when they start a fire, he said.

"The wind was in our favor today," he said at the scene. "But the fire could have hit this thicket and then gone to that field out there. Then we would have had major problems."

Smith said if notified in advance firefighters will inspect the area to make sure no dangers such as fuel tanks or vehicles are present. "We'd be more than willing to come out and look and give some pointers," Smith said.

Rick Campbell, a Millersville firefighter, said: "We don't mind coming to a fire. That's what we're in business for. But we don't want to get false calls."

Mike Morgan of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department said advance notice can prevent other problems as well.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the federal Environmental Protection Agency have strict guidelines about burning waste materials, he explained. The only wood products that can be burned are unprocessed items such as yard clippings and tree limbs. Waste lumber such as that used in construction can't be burned according to DNR and EPA guidelines.

Anyone with questions should contact their local fire department or law enforcement agency before burning, the firefighters said.