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Fired Up About His Job

March 14, 2009 12:45 am

YOU SHOULD know that you can't have an open fire burn- ing before 4 p.m. here in Virginia between Feb. 15 and April 30. Also, if you're enjoying a traditional campfire or just an friendly open-pit-fire get-together with some of your neighbors, this time of year you can't add another log to the pile after midnight.

That's the law when you're within 300 feet of any woodland, brushland or a field containing dry grass or other flammable material, and you can't ever leave it unattended if it's within 150 feet of those things.

I was reminded of this when I saw a man in uniform putting up some burning-ban posters around our neighborhood.

MEET FORESTER STONE

I held out my hand to introduce myself, and learned his name was David Stone and he's the forester for Louisa County.

I made an appointment and we had a long chat at his office, and I've since learned a whole lot more.

For starters, Stone has a very interesting background. This is no local boy. He grew up in New Hampshire and then spent time traveling around the world. After stints from Maine to Africa and working in the logging trade in the Pacific Northwest and Arizona, Stone settled in central Virginia back in 1997.

This county forester is also a certified arborist. Each Virginia county has a forester responsible for that area, but they don't have to be certified arborists.

I guess we're just lucky around here.

THE DUTIES

Stone carries a badge and has deputy powers. He can write you a summons or arrest somebody for arson.

This forester sometimes works as an educator in the schools, helps individual landowners with tree problems or assists big timber operations. He also works with local governments planning urban tree selection and placement, plus he supports farmers in reforestation projects for sediment control and things like improving overall water quality.

With 77 percent of Louisa County still in forest, and trees being the No. 1 Virginia crop, it's not hard to imagine that Stone is a very busy fellow.

And, in these terrible economic times, it's good to know the tree business is a good economic neighbor. "Forest landowners pay out more in taxes than they take back in governmental services," said Stone. "Whereas a typical residential neighborhood gets back way more services than what they pay in taxes."

That's good to know.

Stone obviously likes his job. His face literally glowed with gratification as he related a story about working with some local children to plan for the planting of trees around Louisa's new aquatic center.

"It was a local partnership," said Stone. "The kids planned and designed it, and we even taught them how to properly plant the trees. By really doing it all, that's something they'll absolutely learn, and take with them for the rest of their lives."

I also asked him about the worst part of his job. After pondering that for a moment, he said: "The long hours. Being up all night fighting a fire. Then exhausted in bed the next night and up again after only a few hours' sleep and having to fight another fire starting at 2 a.m."

This is definitely no 9-to-5 career choice.

By state code, foresters are in charge of all the firefighters fighting a forest fire. Stone explained that a fire in the woods is a completely different beast from a typical residential fire. "We, all the firefighters, work together on the triangle of fire--oxygen, fuel and heat," said Stone. "The difference is that a forest fire moves around, while a typical house fire stays, pretty much, in one place."

He also explained that much of his work is seasonal by nature. This time of year--late winter and early spring--the big concern around most of Virginia is fire prevention.

OUTDOOR FIRE LAW

We have that burning ban in effect every year from Feb. 15 through the end of April because there are still lots of dry leaves out there, plus dead trees and dried-up grass. Additionally, the relative humidity this time of year is usually very low.

"Nothing has greened up yet," says Stone. "Winds are typically higher during the day, and once a fire gets started it can spread very rapidly."

Stone told me a story about one homeowner here at Lake Anna who started a small fire in his backyard. "It was no bigger than my desk," explained Stone. Then the fire ignited some dead grass nearby. It spread to the neighbor's dry lawn, and eventually caught the steps leading to his dock on fire. Those steps also went up, and so did the fire--to the neighbor's house.

Stone told me he remembers that man who burned up his neighbor's home saying, "I didn't know it would do that."

"He originally thought the fire was out," explained Stone. "Our state law says you must stay with a fire until it's out. Just because there is no smoke doesn't mean it's out. There must also be no heat."

You should know that if you cause your neighbor's house to catch on fire, unintentionally or not, you are responsible. What's more, you are accountable if a fire in your yard ignites the nearby woods. "You are responsible for the costs," said Stone. "And, putting out a forest fire doesn't come cheap. A helicopter rents for $900 per hour."

Sadly, although some fires are started by lightning strikes or sometimes by power lines, almost all forest fires are caused by humans.

"We'll never exclude fires from our woods. A hundred years from now, there still will be forest fires," said Stone.

He also worries about people building homes in what were once large stands of pine trees grown for lumbering purposes. "You need some [fire] defensible space around your home," cautioned Stone.

Remember, too: "Only you can prevent wildfires," says Smokey Bear.

Jim Kundreskas of Louisa County near Lake Anna has been a freelance writer for more than 25 years. E-mail him at
Email: Zbasser@aol.com.