FIRE SAFETY SUGGESTIONS
1. No
Open Burning
The leading cause of fires is careless acts by
people! The Pine Brook Hills Fire Protection District has a permanent
year-round ban on open burning, including campfires, trash fires, or any
fire other than a completely enclosed barbecue having a lid or cover. As
part of our community fire mitigation effort, slash burning is permitted
ONLY with the approval and under the direction of Boulder Mountain Fire
Authority’s Chief, and in compliance with all Boulder County regulations.
For further information call the Chief at 440-0235.
2. Cut Tall Grass on Your Property
This reduces the probability of accidental
ignition. In many cases, the presence of tall grass immediately around your
house and driveway may make it too dangerous to place firefighters on your
property to defend your house. Human safety always takes priority!
3. Don’t Park in or Near Tall Grass
The tall grass along the roadsides and
driveways provides a ready ignition source--be careful where you park your
car. A hot tailpipe or muffler in contact with extremely dry grass creates a
fire very quickly.
4. No Fireworks
Incredible as it may seem, we are regularly
made aware of people shooting off fireworks in Pine Brook Hills! Fireworks
present an extremely hazardous situation and are strictly banned at all
times.
5. Dispose of Cigarette Butts Properly
A cigarette butt tossed from a passing car into
tinder dry grass can very quickly start a fire, and continues to be a common
source of fires.
6. Make Pine Brook Visitors Aware
We all have many friends and relatives visiting
from other parts of the country. These people are frequently unaware of the
high fire danger and the precautions that should be taken. In addition, we
often have construction contractors and movers in the district, again
largely unaware of the necessary precautions. We need everyone's help in
letting visitors know what is acceptable. If someone persists in dangerous
behavior after being warned, call the fire department or the sheriff's
office and we will make the point more forcefully.
7. Defensible Space and Slash Reduction
We have several excellent brochures at the fire
station from the Colorado State Forest Service on creating defensible space
around your home. The CSFS will also consult with homeowners on fire
mitigation efforts and prepare a defensible space plan for a property or
group of properties for a small fee.
8. Chimney Caps and Cleaning
All chimneys need chimney caps to prevent
moisture, leaves and animals from coming in, and to protect the roof and
surrounding forest from embers. An annual safety inspection is recommended
and heavily used chimneys may need to be cleaned annually to ensure safe
operation.
9. Call 911 early!
If you suspect a fire, call 911 immediately. It
is much easier to cancel an unnecessary call than to catch up to a fire that
has been allowed to burn uncontrolled. Sometimes minutes count!
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