At 7:47 Thursday evening Caney Creek Fire Department responded to a trash fire which turned into a forest fire. The call on Carter Lane of Jim Stowe was started when the home owner started illegally burning trash which was inside a wooded area with no barrier around it. The woods quickly ignited to almost 1/4 acre before it was extinguished.
The illegal burn is being referred to the Fire Marshal as the burn ban continues and it is also illegal to burn anything but natural vegetation in Montgomery County unless you are on property over 5 acres and are not in a subdivision.
In addition, Caney Creek has started billing for having to take equipment to the scene and the firefighters having to extinguish illegal burns. This only applies to people burning illegally.
Many say they are awaiting the burn ban to end as they have trash stacking up. Even with the Burn Ban lifted you will still be burning illegally if you are on land less than 5 acres and or are in a subdivision.
Private Trash Companies are a lot less than the fines it will cost you if burning. Riverside Waste in Splendora charges approximately $.50 a bag for trash. In addition if you are a regular trash customer and have a couch or mattress to dispose of they will take it with your regular trash service.
Some trash services are starting out and are not quite what someone would expect. Over the past few weeks several individuals, in an attempt to make some money have converted their pickups and trailers to trash haulers. Tall wooden sides painted with their name and phone number.
Beware of these, if they are picking up your trash make sure you get a receipt from them as to how much you paid and how many bags were taken. Many of these will take your money, take your trash , but save the cost of the landfill by dumping it on a dead-end road or in a ditch somewhere.
The Constables Offices and Montgomery County do prosecute for dumping trash on the side of the roadways or easements. IIf a pile is discovered, the gloves go on and the dissection begins to find a name or an address within the trash. Once that is found you can expect a knock at the door. If you legally had the trash picked up the receipt could possibly help you when you go to court to fight the illegal dumping charge.
Comments are closed.