By BOB MARTIN
Eagle Times Staff
NEWPORT, N.H. — Fire officials in Newport and Claremont are reminding residents to obtain proper permits for any outdoor fire, as all it takes is an ember to torch a structure and cause some serious problems.
On Wednesday at 1:51, Newport Fire Department was toned to 146 Elm Street for a reported structure fire. Fire Chief Steve Yannuzzi said it was caused by an ember from a “non-permitted outside fire” where cardboard was being burned by an employee in the back lot of Kathan Gardens. The ember landed on a pole barn on the property, quickly igniting it and destroying the building. There were no injuries reported.
“The embers went up, and the wind blew, and that’s all she wrote,” Yannuzzi said. “
While there were several other small brush fires stemming from this on the property, and the fire in the barn was fully involved, firefighters from Newport and Claremont knocked down the blaze in just over an hour.
“There was a bit of brush that caught fire away from the barn we had to put out,” Yannuzzi said.
Responding to the fire were the Newport and Claremont Fire Departments, with Goshen and Sunapee covering the station. Yannuzzi said Sunapee was later called to the scene for clean-up.
Newport brought Engine 4 with 1,000 gallons of water, as well as Engine 2 with 1,800 gallons. Claremont also brought Engine 4 with 2,000 gallons of water, so they were able to put out the fire with their own water and no need for hooking to a hydrant.
It is under the chief’s discretion whether to issue a fine, and Yannuzzi said despite the business not having a permit, the loss of their structure and the soil being stored inside was enough for them to deal with.
“Everyone was really surprised about just how quickly fire can more,” he said. “It does not take much. Even in a building fire it does not take much. Fire moves very, very fast and does a lot of damage in a short amount of time.”
Brush fires are common this time of year, but Yannuzzi said it is important that anyone doing so make sure they are doing it safely with permitting.
“This was an example of just how fast a fire can spread,” he said. “The comment from the person who started the fire said they turned away for a split second, then turned back and it was on fire. Everything is dry out there right now and you have to be aware of that, and the rain we are getting today isn’t enough.”
Yannuzzi said that Wednesday was a busy day for the department. While the barn fire was the most intensive, the department is so small that any call is a big deal. Just before 5 p.m. the department responded to a two-car accident at the traffic lights at the intersection of Maple Road and South Main Street. No injuries were reported but at least one vehicle was towed.
Engine 4 was at the scene for only about 20 minutes, but just as they finished, the department received a call for a fire alarm activation at Maple Manor. This was fortunately only someone who set off a smoke detector with incense.
“But in that short span of time, from cleaning up the truck and back-to-back calls, we were fairly busy,” Yannuzzi said. “All in a day’s work over here.”
The barn fire was the third time the Claremont Fire Department has assisted Newport for a working fire in recent weeks, with Chief Jim Chamberlain saying they have satisfied response times and assisted them with their needs.
Circling back to permits, in Newport, seasonal permits can be obtained online. Yannuzzi said in Newport, a category three brush pile can only be issued through the fire department, where residents need to call the station and have it issued. Category three brush fires are permitted for one day, and can only occur after 5 p.m. Those with questions should call the fire station and they will have all the information needed.
Claremont requires a permit for any open burning, and Chief Chamberlain said to call the fire department to see if they are eligible. During the drier seasons there are times when no burning is allowed, so he recommends just calling them. Campfire permits can be issued for an entire year and brush piles are issued for a maximum of seven days, as dictated by state rule.
Chamberlain said it is important to be on site to manage the fire, have a garden hose available and be mindful of weather conditions.
“If it is overly windy, it might be better holding off on a campfire or any open burning,” Chamberlain said. “Be mindful of the product you are burning. You’re only allowed to burn clean, untreated wood, and have it in a fire pit to prevent embers getting outside of that area.”
