Tuesday March, 23 2021 @ 11:25

Nature: Trash Fire

Location: John J Williams Hwy between Layton Davis & Gull Point Roads, Millsboro, DE 19966

On Tuesday, March 23^rd, the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company was alerted for a trash fire incident near the incident dispatched address.  It was identified upon arrival of emergency response unit that this was an inappropriate burn incident with the demolition of vacant residential structures and other outbuildings.

Emergency response units from Indian River included Tanker 80 from the Oak Orchard facility and Brush #80-0 from the Long Neck facility as well as the Delaware State Fire Police.

Emergency response units were authorized via the Officer In Charge to pursue extinguishment of the materials and notified the occupants of the property the proper burn procedures which are illustrated below. 

Delaware Open Burning Regulations - https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/air/open-burning/

Delaware’s Open Burning Regulations (7 DE Admin. Code, 1113) define open burning as any outdoor fire or outdoor smoke producing process from which the products of combustion are emitted directly into the ambient air. This does not include incinerators, boilers, or heaters used in process operations.

Five types of open burning activities are allowed by Delaware’s Open Burning Regulation when not prohibited by time of year, air quality condition, the State Fire Marshal, or National Weather Service:

• Residential burning of small amounts of yard/garden material by a homeowner.

• Recreational burning such as cooking fires, campfires, patio fire pits or ceremonial bonfires by organized groups.

• Demolition of structures by intentional burning for the purposes of firefighting instruction.

• Prescribed burning for forest and land management.

• Agricultural burning for crop residue, field maintenance and land clearing for agricultural operations.