Safe burning

When March blows into Southeast Missouri, bringing warmer temperatures and storms, the risks of burning outdoors go up dramatically. Earlier this month high winds prompted area governments to issue no-burn orders in an effort to prevent serious hazards associated with out-of-control fires. But some area residents chose to burn outdoors anyway, which meant the potential for damaging and costly fires went way up.

It shouldn't take an official order to guide would-be burners. Common sense ought to make anyone cautious when the wind if blowing.

There are some residents in this area who would like to ban outdoor burning entirely. Some governmental entity might be moved to take such action if a fire caused major damage or even the loss of a life. In the meantime, be prudent. If the wind is up, don't burn. And if you do burn, most cities have ordinances governing the time frame for fires and the safety precautions that need to be in place.