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March is typically the time for agricultural burns, but it's also known for gusty winds that gather strength during the day. A combination of the two increases fire danger throughout the county, prompting Delta County Sheriff Fred McKee to remind residents in the unincorporated areas of Delta County to first contact the Delta County Non-emergent Burn Line at 399-2955.

Callers will be notified if there is a red flag warning and/or a high wind advisory in effect for that day. Agricultural burning is not permitted during those times. If conditions are favorable, landowners are asked to leave a message with their name, date, time and location of their open burning activity.

Open burning is restricted to agricultural burns — defined as any activity conducted in the course of agricultural, commercial crop production, or cultivation involving the open burning of cover vegetation for the purpose of preparing the soil, weed control, or cleaning out irrigation ditches, water courses and fence lines. In the unincorporated areas of the county, any person may burn dry weeds, leaves, limbs, garden waste, brush or shrub waste, and any person can have a fire for preparing food to include barbecue pits.

For any open burning that does not fit the description above, landowners can obtain a state burn permit. Applications are available from the Delta County Health Department.

The open burning of trash, rubber, plastics, asphalt shingles, insulation and other similar dense or toxic smoke-producing substances is prohibited.

For information on burning within city limits, check with your municipality.

Although the fire danger is low in the higher elevations, conditions in the valleys are dry. Sheriff McKee urges landowners to use caution. If your agricultural burn escapes your property because of high winds or negligence, it's considered arson in the eyes of law enforcement — even if you took the proper steps to call the burn line.

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