LUCERNE — An illegal fire started in a burn barrel off of Bartlett Springs Road got out of control and burned three and a half acres of wild land, according to Northshore Fire Protection District Fire Chief Jim Robbins.
It started around 10 a.m. and was contained by 11:20 a.m., Robbins said. A full Cal Fire wild land dispatch responded including five engines, a helicopter, a dozer and a battalion chief, along with an additional two hand crews and two air tankers. Two Northshore Fire engines and crews responded, including Chief Robbins. The U.S. Forest Service also sent an engine and a water tender.
“We”re going to charge him the suppression cost,” said Robbins. He said burn barrels, 55-gallon drums that were used to burn leaves, were outlawed several years ago because they were used to burn other materials that created air quality problems.
The man”s travel trailer was fully engulfed by the flames, but neither him nor his companion were injured, said Robbins. The dollar amount of damage is still under investigation, Robbins said.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
