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Mayor cites April 18 brush fire as reason for Westfir burn moratorium
Summary
Mayor Watson told the City Council the April 18 Sunset Avenue brush fire, which spread quickly in wind-driven conditions and required mutual aid, prompted a temporary city outdoor burning moratorium; the council plans a town hall and resources to help residents remove hazardous debris.
Mayor Watson opened the council meeting by describing the April 18 brush fire on Sunset Avenue that grew quickly when winds picked up and crews were limited to volunteer efforts before Oak Ridge Fire and the U.S. Forest Service contained it overnight. "We were very fortunate for the response we got from both agencies," Watson said, and added that the risk motivated the city to adopt a moratorium on outdoor burning under city ordinance 142 §3.
Watson said the moratorium will stay in effect for the near term and the council plans a town hall to connect residents with debris-removal resources and guidance on safer options, such as chipping or staging materials away from structures. He told the council that reopening burning season will be weather-dependent and the state fire marshal could close or reopen burn windows: "It's all weather dependent," he said.
The council discussed refunding or crediting purchased burn permits when seasons change and emphasized a two-tier approach: prioritize assistance for residents who cannot haul debris themselves while providing broader options for others. The mayor said staff will evaluate how to use grant resources and coordinate with neighboring agencies to improve local response and mitigation.
