Fire safety is important to consider all year-round, though Perry Fire Chief Chris Hinds says there are some tips that are specific to this time of year.

In particular, Hinds advises people to refrain from open burning, whether that be yard waste in your backyard, ditches in rural areas, or farmers still preparing their fields. He says Iowa is one of the windiest states in the country, and even on a seemingly calm day a gust can take a fire in directions you don’t intend. “It’s not good to be burning out there anyway, as everybody I’m sure is well aware – or should be aware – there is no open burning right now in the City of Perry, and it’s not recommended out in the County at this time. It’s been a fairly dry spring, so there is no open burning. And with the wind picking up the way it has been, we just don’t want to see any burning out there. Because it does spread fairly rapidly, and it does create an issue for us out there trying to fight the fire and get it put out.”

Hinds also reminds people to always monitor their recreational fires, as well as both charcoal and gas grills, as they can be hazardous when left unattended. To learn more about spring fire safety, listen to today’s Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program on air and at RaccoonValleyRadio.com.