Fire marshal wants illegal fires nixed during ‘stay-at-home’ order

Alan Mancill, fire marshal for Upper Providence and Middletown, is asking residents to cool it with burning bonfires or yard debris in the midst of a statewide “stay-at-home” order issued by Gov. Tom Wolf.

“I’m getting a call or two a day of people burning illegally – and big bonfires – and then I have to go out there, the fire company has to go out there, and it’s just a nuisance for us,” said Mancill. “It’s been going on for three or four weeks now because everybody’s sitting at home bored at night.”

Mancill said Upper Providence and Middletown do have ordinances that allow for small fires using only dry wood as fuel, but nothing larger than 3 feet across and 2 feet high. Burning of yard waste, leaves, brush or anything else is strictly prohibited, he said.

Mancill also serves as fire marshal for Thornbury and Edgmont, but noted those municipalities do allow for large pile burning as long as an adequate water source is near to hand.

In addition to a fire hazard, Mancill said the illegal burning creates huge smoke plumes that can disturb neighbors who are complying with orders to stay inside – especially those with asthma or other underlying respiratory problems – eats up fire department resources and puts first responders at greater risk of contracting COVID-19.

“The problem is that we’re sending out the fire companies, but we’re trying to keep the personnel off the apparatus because they’re in a confined space on the apparatus,” he said. “So it’s creating a hazard to our members, and all the trucks have to be (decontaminated) upon return.”

Mancill added that this would be a good time for property owners to ensure the addresses of their homes and businesses are clearly visible from the street so that first responders can quickly identify them and to cut back any plant growth that might be blocking access to fire hydrants.