Spring is here and so is burn season

The spring season for open burning began March 14 and will continue through Sunday May 17 this year. This only applies to residents of Ruhenstroth, Fish Springs, Topaz Lake, Topaz Ranch Estates, East Valley, Johnson Lane, Sunridge, Genoa, Gardnerville, Minden and the Sheridan area that is east of Foothill Road.

If you live outside of these areas, you must request an on-site inspection from the East Fork Fire Department at 782-9040 before a permit will be issued. A burn permit can be printed directly from the Web site (www.eastforkfire.org) downloaded into a pdf format to print later or picked up at all area fire stations as well as the Minden Inn. Information on open burning is also being aired on CATV Channel 16.

Burning in our area requires a tremendous amount of responsibility due to our susceptibility to windy conditions, often occurring without any warning. The burn permit outlines all of these precautions and restrictions very concisely. Using a burn permit also requires patience because you must be sure all embers are fully extinguished before leaving the scene. This means spreading the ashes, overturning them and thoroughly wetting them or smothering them because they can ignite later if the lower ashes are hot and covered by a layer of cooler ash. Those who apply for a permit are responsible for any damages that occur due to the fire getting out of control. If you have any questions, please call Toni Braga at 783-6415.

You might have noticed that the Web site for our East Fork Fire & Paramedic Districts changed from www.effpd.co.douglas.nv.us to www.eastforkfire.org. I am grateful for the shorter name because occasionally I couldn't remember the order of the county, state, and country so I'd do a search for effpd, usually getting directed to some unsavory choices, to say the least. The new site has been updated with pictures of the staff, both in the field and the office, as well as easy access to other areas of the department. A special thank-you goes out to Fish Springs Volunteer Chief Elaine Pace for the update to the Web site.

Since the Emergency Management Department was recently reassigned to the fire district, a link to the local Emergency Planning Committee has been included on the home page. The LEPC includes many representatives from a variety of county areas whose goals are to develop a community emergency preparedness and planning program for hazardous materials, other technological emergencies as well as natural disasters such as fires, floods, and earthquakes.

A link to www.ready.gov is also available from the East Fork home page. Ready.gov is a great resource for getting prepared. It is divided into three areas: Ready America, Ready Business, and Ready Kids. Each area provides information and educational materials for getting your particular area more prepared for a potential disaster. It, too, is user friendly and very easy to navigate. The kids' section is set up as a jungle safari cartoon and even provides information for teachers that can be used in the classroom.

Have a ramblin' good week.

n Reach Gail Davis at 265-1947 or RuhenstrothRamblings@yahoo.com