News 12, First at Five, October 1, 2008

MARTINEZ, Ga.---This drought, and the dry ground, isn't going to help keep fires under control. That's why fire crews say call for a permit, ask questions, and be careful.

With the right amount of wind and dry leaves, a small flame can quickly turn into a big fire. Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue showed News 12 just how quickly. "This fire right here, this wind, could make this fire extremely large fire in a matter of minutes," says Chief Paul Cooper.

Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue gave News 12 a demonstration as they waited for the calls to start coming in. "We'll definitely see a spike. The guys are sitting around waiting on a call today. They know the burn ban's been lifted and they're all talking, here we go again," says Chief Cooper.

And then we went up into the aerial truck and see if we could see any smoke on the horizon. A few seconds later, and there it was, smoke over the trees. Someone's already burning, miles away.

Back on the ground, fire crews are watching the flame closely. And the Georgia Forestry Commission wants you to do the same, especially with the dry conditions. "It burns faster, hotter, and more dangerous," says John Pearson, Ranger II for the Georgia Forestry Commission.

To burn you have to have a permit. All you have to do is call the Georgia Forestry Commission at 1-877-OK2-BURN or 1-877-652-2876. They can also answer questions for you about the weather or safety.

"The only bad question is the question that's not asked," says Pearson.

"When they're through with it, they should be 100 percent sure it's extinguished," says Chief Cooper. And 100 percent extinguished means 100 percent safe.

Again, that number to call for a permit:
1-877-OK2-BURN
or
1-877-652-2876

It's all done by phone right then and you don't have to wait for any paperwork. The Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue also asks that you give them a call as a heads up as well.