Town residents not adhering to Pahrump burn ordinance

Pahrump Fire Chief Scott Lewis is reminding area residents to adhere to ordinances about the burning of vegetation on their properties.

Though the burn moratorium ended two weeks ago, Lewis said his department is seeing numerous incidents where residents are burning out of the scope of the town ordinance.

“We are seeing more instances of residents burning after hours, as well as during windy conditions,” Lewis said. “They are also burning without obtaining a permit and without calling in to report that they will be burning.”

Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Services ended the area’s burn moratorium on Nov. 1, paving the way for residents to begin burning weeds and other forms of vegetation this month.

In order to burn, residents must obtain a permit at the main fire station at 300 N. Highway 160.

The permits are issued on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

Residents can burn from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and Sundays.

There is no burning on holidays and when wind conditions exceed five miles per hour.

Burning without a permit and outside the parameters could result in being charged with a misdemeanor.

Residents must adhere to strict guidelines when burning organic materials.

“The piles shouldn’t be above your knees and you want to add material to the pile rather than lighting off a large pile of organic materials,” he said. “You also want to make sure you’re away from any exposures, whether it be other ground cover, structures, or vehicles.”

Lewis also reminded residents to be aware of changing weather conditions before they start the burn.

“If the conditions are ideal to begin a controlled burn, but those conditions change, you want to quickly extinguish the fire,” he said. “If it looks like it’s getting out of control, call 911 immediately and don’t hesitate. You also want to make sure you have a readily-available water supply and clear other debris from around the area in which you will be burning.”

Additionally, Lewis said the department regularly receives calls from concerned residents not long after the burn moratorium is lifted each year.

“When burn season comes around, we go out on a lot of smoke investigations, multiple times throughout the day and we always investigate those.”

For additional information, call the fire department burn desk at 775 727-5658.

Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes