Fire fighters putting out a bush fire at Beef Island on June 1, 2015. Photo: VINO/File

Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Zebalon A. McLean said a draft form of the Control Burning Policy for the territory is currently being worked on, as well as the revising and updating of the Fire Service Act. Photo: VINO/File

That’s according to the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Zebalon A. McLean, who said a draft form of the Control Burning Policy for the territory is currently being worked on, as well as the revising and updating of the Fire Service Act.

“We are hoping to get something in place by at least the middle of next year (2017),” the CFO said in an exclusive interview with this news site on December 31, 2016. He stated that while the degree of penalties is still being discussed, the policy aims to discourage the sometimes detrimental effect that smoke from burning could have on an individual’s life.

No present penalty

“Right now there is no penalty for persons who don’t care how it affects somebody else. If you give someone a warning, and they still go ahead and burn, there is no recourse to take aside from putting it out. It would be a lot more convenient because instead of us having to respond to the same area, at least it would allow persons to be mindful of the effect that it is having and take other measures now to get rid of the bush,” he explained.

“There must be a remedy to discourage the practice,” McLean continued, insisting that they are of the view that whatever sanctions would be available to be placed on persons who are in violations to the policy, would be enough to discourage reoccurrences or even occurrences by other persons.

Policy addresses real danger

“The controlled burning policy addresses a very real danger that our people are facing; if you have a plot of land, and you burn stuff on your land, you have all rights to do that, but what you must understand, anything that leaves your land and affects someone else you are responsible for. Your argument would be well the fire is on my land, yes but if the smoke affects someone else outside your perimeter, you are still responsible for that.”

He mentioned that they have had some cases that he would even venture as far as saying person’s lives have been endangered.

“Persons who have been asthmatic, as well as non-asthmatic persons who were not aware that the smoke had blown inside the house, and they managed to roll themselves out, or someone managed to roll them out before they succumbed to the fumes.”

Mr McLean also took the opportunity to encourage the populace to be more mindful and considerate of others and take items for burning to the incinerator.

“Persons really need to be more mindful and really needs to be considerate of their neighbors, but it seems that no matter how you encourage them, too many people are not. So with the Control Burning Policy, it would put into law that persons would be restricted from doing this as long as it affects someone. We are getting closer and closer to that coming into law and that is something that I am looking forward to.”

According to the Virgin Islands Fire and Rescue Services boss, basic public education has been done, however, when the policy comes on stream more public consultations will follow.