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January 6, 2010 - Non-Permitted Control Burn, Morris Road Area |
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Written by Jeff McMahon
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Wednesday, 06 January 2010 11:02 |
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The Worcester County Fire Marshal's Office is currently conducting an investigation into a non-permitted control burn in the Morris Road area of Bishopville, Maryland. The Bishopville Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched for an outside fire at 1:27AM this date. Upon arrival they found several piles of debris burning, unattended. It appears a subject(s) had moved or delivered debris from clearing a lot and set the debris on fire. Although not consider arson, the environmental laws clearly state only debris accumulated on the same property can be burned. Permits may be required depending on the size of the debris pile and quantity. Worcester County passed an "Outdoor Burn Regulation" in 2001 and modified the violation structure in 2009.
Outdoor burning without a permit is a $500 first offense fine and $1,000 per offense thereafter. Plus a fee of $250 per hour, per apparatus can be assessed if the fire company is required to respond. Addiontally, State Law requires control burns to be constantly attended until extinguished. Any County citizen wishing to conduct a control burn is urged to call the Fire Marshal's Office at 410-632-5666 or the Environmental Programs Division of the County's Development, Review & Permitting at 410-632-1200. The FMO does NOT issue the burn permits. Burn permits are obtained from Environmental Programs. |
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