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Fire chief reports record call volume, urges action on backyard burn pits
Summary
Sunbury's fire chief told council the department handled 734 calls last year (323 inside the city), logged nearly 3,000 on-scene hours and almost 3,000 training hours, and asked council to consider restrictions or fees on backyard burn pits after recent incidents.
Sunbury's fire chief told the council the department responded to 734 calls for service last year, including 323 incidents inside city limits, and emphasized the heavy time commitment from volunteers.
The chief reported total on-scene hours of 2,956.46 and training hours of 2,948.15 for the year, saying "the guys that are volunteering within the department now are definitely putting in the time for everybody." He thanked the bank council and staff for support.
The chief raised repeated concerns about residents using burn pits to dispose of household garbage, citing frequent smoke-investigation calls and several small fires. He urged consideration of regulatory or fee-based approaches and asked the council to consider options such as permitting, fees or allowing only propane-style recreational pits to reduce hazardous open burning.
Council members discussed outreach and language-access challenges tied to permitting and fines, suggesting bilingual notices and improved advertising so new residents understand permitting requirements. No formal action on burn-pit regulation was taken at the meeting; the chief asked that the council consider next steps.
The council acknowledged the issue and asked staff to explore options and potential enforcement strategies.
