Remember
this: All it takes is one spark in the right place.
My
parents worked with the SC Forestry Commission until they retired
from public service life. My mother was a tower operator. My father
was a warden. These towers are not in service and in disrepair. I
think they are public landmarks that deserve as much upkeep and can
be utilized via monetary admission as a learning experience for high
school and college students. You never know when you might need to
use them again.
In
that time as a child, I was able to run amuck with the workers of
Smokey the Bear. My father and others went out to California and
fought the wildfires. In the local area, fires were just as bad.
The
cause of some of these fires were lightning, campfire, smoking,
debris burning, incendiary, equipment use, railroad, children,
fireworks, powerlines, and structure fires.
When
I came back from my debacle of a fishing trip, I was puttering around
the boat putting gas back in the line to the motor. My intention was
to test the motor to see if it worked. To my success it did. The
grass underfoot was brittle and dry. My garden has already died from
lack of water. I was walking back toward the porch when I noticed a
glowing light in the sky. Someone in the park next door had launched
a Chinese sky lantern. I stopped in my tracks. We were in a drought
state due to lack of rain.
A
Chinese sky lantern has a small candle or fuel cell composed of
combustible material that is lit. It stays lit despite the air
conditions. I considered it a fire-flying accident waiting to happen.
I
watched the wind carry the sky lantern over in the area above bone
dry woods and farmland. It was already at a mile away. I imagined it
landing on someone's roof, in a dry field, or in the woods. The
problem here is: if it were to fall in the right place, unbeknownst
to anyone, the fire could grow until someone saw smoke or the fire
spread.
I
went inside and told my mother. She called the South Carolina
Forestry Commission and reported the event to a previous co-worker.
The wardens were already out fighting a fire that had been set by
someone.
I
am not sure who decided to set a sky lantern out, but it was a
potentially atrocious mistake. Choices like this could cause a lot of
damage to wildlife, life, limb and property.
I
remember the times wardens would get down in the woods, in the dark,
fighting fire, and almost get surrounded by it. We have people who
are employed to do a public service, yet there are irresponsible
people doing acts that can bring on putting someone's life in danger
and wanton destruction through stupidity.
In
the green world right now, it's a good time to use common-sense and
good decision-making skills. Use your eyes to see what conditions
are. Some of the things you are thinking of doing could cause a lot
of problems for someone else to clean up. If you get caught, you will
face fines and jail time.
If
you are not aware of potential hazardous conditions, please feel free
to call your local Forestry Commission. There exists some kind of
burning permit number or representative that can steer you in the
right direction. They are there for you and would appreciate not
having to put their life in danger, if it can be avoided.
If
you are not sure what this looks like, visit this: http://www.state.sc.us/forest/ site.
Research
the state you live in for the State Agency. These websites would have
a Daily Fire Weather Report to help you make good decisions.
I
hope this is a gentle reminder of your responsibility as a steward of
the land, rivers, streams, wildlife, and forest we all love to visit and enjoy. I am sure I am
not alone in thinking I would like to see it green and not charred to
black ruins.
Written
by: Angelia Y Larrimore
