Editor:

My name is Charles Moore and I live in a farmhouse immediatelywest of the Carbondale Community School. Last week while ditch burning, anoverhanging juniper tree ignited and was consumed by fire within seconds. In myconversation with the fire department earlier that morning I was told to havewater (a hose) available and to call if I needed assistance. We put the fireout and 911 calls brought the Carbondale police, Garfield County sheriff andthe fire department which quickly had the situation under control.

Meanwhile, a parent dropping off children was so upset by what shesaw that she began yelling at the firemen. She called a newspaper and areporter was sent to record her distress. The resulting article was so filledwith misinformation that I called the reporter and requested a follow-uparticle. “No need for that,” was the reply. Herewith my follow-up: Prior to theigniting of the juniper we had burned ditches on neighboring property withconsiderable ditch still to burn.

I wonder if the upset parent is aware of the whole ditch burningneed and rationale. She was quoted as saying, “You don’t need to burn thisstuff, this is something that could have been done with a lawnmower and somegarden gloves. In a residential area like this … we need to use a little commonsense …” Calling this a residential area is a bit of a stretch with industryand open fields surrounding.

While the fire chief sympathizes with the upset parent, Isympathize with the firemen who have to put up with all the whackos whilefighting fires at the same time. There was no mention in the newspaper that Icalled the fire department that morning and was given permission to burnditches, and now because of the actions of the upset parent, I am prohibitedfrom burning ditches.

I therefore request said parent stop by with her gardening glovesand clear about 1,000 feet of ditch. Perhaps her “common sense” can come upwith a better way to clean the ditches. My common sense tells me that if theditches can’t deliver water to the trees and other growth (i.e. along the RioGrande Trail) by August we’ll have potential fires that will make my burningjuniper look like a weenie roast.

Charles Moore

Satank