City Hall Corner |
By Mike Womack, Cedar Springs City Manager

Monday’s Red Flag Fire Warning from the National Weather Service and our subsequent burn ban in the City are stark reminders that burning and campfires can be dangerous if safe fire practices are not observed. 

The City of Cedar Springs allows fire and open flames to be used outdoors for things like cooking, heating and entertainment. The City does have some requirements such as the fire must be 25 feet from a structure on a neighbor’s property and at least 8 feet from any part of a structure on your property. Fires may be up to 9 square feet and may only burn natural gas/propane, charcoal or clean natural wood not garbage, glue, plastic or yard waste. Fire-pits must be in a device designed to be enclosed with a cover that can be securely fastened like a spark screen. All fires shall be monitored by an adult with ready access to a hose or fire extinguisher and only between hours of 7 a.m. and 11:59 p.m.  

For the complete fire safety rules, or if you have any fire safety related question, please check out the Fire Department page on the City of Cedar Springs website or you can call the fire department at 616-696-1221. If you are requesting a burn permit, please call a few days ahead of time.  

In 2018, the fire department responded to 22 house or building fires, 18 grass or rubbish fires, and 31 fire alarms. Following the fire safety rules can reduce those response numbers where people and property are put in danger.

Violations of the City’s fire ordinances may result in a warning, extinguishment of the fire, municipal fines, cost recovery, injunctive relief or other remedies.

The Fire Department still has free smoke detectors available for senior citizens and some low-income residents. Please call to see if you are eligible.

With warm weather, remember to check for burn permits before burning yard debris

With dry conditions expected throughout much of the state this week, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is urging hunters, and folks out cleaning up their yards, to keep fire safety in mind.

“There is a chance for rain tonight, but overall it’s very dry throughout much of the state,” said Jim Fisher, DNR state fire supervisor. “The DNR is reminding everyone enjoying their time in the woods, or those at home cleaning their yards, to be careful with campfires and debris burning this next week. If you do decide burn yard debris, remember to check the burn permit website or call the DNR’s toll-free number to check if burn permits are being issued in your area.”

The DNR encourages residents with Internet access to visit www.michigan.gov/burnpermit to get their burn permits online. Residents can use the interactive map to find the burn conditions in their area. If a “yes” is shown in the “burning permits issued” column, burning is allowed for that day. There is no need to print anything; this serves as a burn permit.

For those who prefer to get their burn permits by phone, the DNR’s toll-free burn permit number is 866-922-2876.

Dry conditions paired with increased outdoor activity had DNR firefighters, along with local fire departments, responding to 12 fires on 60 acres across the state last week. Firefighters’ actions saved seven structures, and only one outbuilding was lost.

Three of the fires were caused by campfires and four were started by people burning yard debris.

Fisher said these recent fires served as a reminder to be safe if camping while hunting.

“Keep an eye on your fire and extinguish it so it’s out cold before you leave it,” he said. “A good rule of thumb for anyone burning outdoors is to always have water and tools available when burning.”

For more information about wildfire prevention, visit www.michigan.gov/preventwildfires. To check if burn permits are being issued in your area, go to www.michigan.gov/burnpermit.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is reminding hunters, and everyone else outside enjoying the fall weather, to be cautious while lighting campfires and using woodstoves this season.
A warm beginning to autumn has increased the chances of a wildfire. In fact, the DNR recently responded to several fires, both in the Upper and Lower peninsulas; the largest of those was a 17-acre fire in Sanilac County.
Dan Laux, DNR fire prevention specialist, said remembering the basics of fire safety will help ensure that this hunting season isn’t ruined by a wildfire.
“Our main concerns have to do with falling leaves and dry grass, combined with embers from woodstoves and campfires,” Laux said. “The beginning of the hunting season has been a bit warmer and dryer this year, so that causes a little concern. If folks take a few extra minutes to keep fire safety in mind, it’ll help ensure that the only blaze in this woods this hunting season will be the blaze orange on our hunters.”
The DNR recommends following a few general precautions to ensure fire safety:

• Never leave a campfire or woodstove unattended.
• Clear the area of leaves and dry fuel before lighting a campfire.
• Don’t park a vehicle in dry grass.
• If a campfire gets out of control, call 911 immediately.
• Avoid outdoor burning when it is windy to prevent escape and spread of a fire.

So far this year, the DNR has responded to a total of 341 wildfires, which have burned 2,920 acres.

To learn more about the DNR’s firefighting efforts, and how to prevent wildfires, visit www.michigan.gov/preventwildfires.

The American Red Cross urges residents to take extra precautions with cooking and decorating around the holidays.

“Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, and as people are cooking and entertaining this holiday season, we’re urging that they take safety measures to ensure that their homes and loved ones are safe from the threat of fire,” said Chip Kragt, Regional Disaster Officer for the American Red Cross of West Michigan.

Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, and Thanksgiving are the top three days for cooking fires, according to the National Fire Prevention Association. Nationally, the Red Cross responds to a disaster on average every eight minutes, and the vast majority of them are home fires. The Red Cross has some simple steps everyone can follow to prevent home fires around the holidays:

Holiday Entertaining 

Test your smoke alarms.

Check food regularly while cooking and remain in the home while cooking. Use a timer as a reminder that the stove or oven is on.

Enforce a “kid-free zone” in cooking areas. Keep children at least three feet away from the stove.

Keep anything that can catch fire away from the stove, oven or any appliance that generates heat.

Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.

Purchase a fire extinguisher to keep in the kitchen.

Holiday Decorating 

Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.

Keep children, pets and decorations away from lit candles.

Keep matches and lighters up high in a locked cabinet.

Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Connect no more than three strands of mini light sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs. Read manufacturer’s instructions for the number of LED strands to connect. Some strings of lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.

Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.

Keep decorations away from windows and doors.

People should also download the free American Red Cross First Aid app, which provides instant access to information on handling the most common first aid emergencies. The apps can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross or by going to redcross.org/mobileapps.

People can test their knowledge on how to prevent home fires by taking the Fire Safety Quiz, and can learn more about fire prevention by visiting redcross.org.