The owner of the land at 3437 N. Highway 99, which was the site of an out-of-control burn Tuesday evening, was not home at the time of the fire.
Nathaniel Jones was cited for violation of Lyon County’s burn permit regulations, according to the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office. Lyon County Fire Districts No. 2 and No. 3 responded to the fire. The owner of the land, LeRoy Boline, was out of town at the time of the fire. Boline said he arrived home after the fire was under control.
Richard Gould, fire chief of Lyon County Fire District No. 2, said the fire was started by the tenant of the property, which Boline confirmed this morning to be Jones. Jones was burning tree branches in the driveway when the fire got out of control, setting nearby property, also owned by Boline, on fire.
All persons in Lyon County wanting to do open burns are required to have an Open Burning Permit. According to the burn permit regulations this includes “open burning of vegetation such as grass, woody species, crop residue and other dry plant growth for the purpose of land, crop, range, pasture, wildlife or watershed management.”
Permits are free of charge and can be obtained from any of the area city halls, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center, 425 Mechanic St., or the Lyon County Clerk’s Office, Lyon County Courthouse, 430 Commercial St. They must be renewed each year and are valid from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 of each calendar year.
Before burning, landowners must call the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office at 342-5545 and give: “his/her name; the permit number that was issued to them; the address where the fire will be started and the type of burning. The permit holder shall insure they have enough manpower and equipment on hand to control their burn. When the open fire is extinguished, the permit holder shall call in that information to the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center.”
People who violate the burn permit regulations can be guilty of a Class C Misdemeanor, which could equate to a maximum fine of $500 and jail time of up to 30 days.
Boline said this morning that he and Ron Kuhn, both Lyon County residents, are authorized to issue burn permits. Landowners and tenants may obtain a burn permit from authorized individuals in addition to the other sites listed. Boline said he will take permits to the Miller Elevator this weekend and will be able to issue permits. Landowners do not have to reside in Lyon County to obtain the burn permits, Boline added.
“We have out of county landowners...” he said this morning.
It also is advised landowners check fire conditions before burning. Rick Frevert of Lyon County Emergency Management said the fire danger today is moderate, which means burns can be executed with a degree of safety, however, caution should be used. Fire warnings and conditions can be obtained by going to www.crh.noaa.gov, and clicking on the link at the bottom of the left hand menu called “Fire Danger Index.”