Because of a new fire code passed on April 15, Pine-Strawberry Fire Department firefighters can now issue a citation for those in violation of fire restrictions.
âWe are not cops we are educators,â said Pine-Strawberry Fire Department Fire Marshal Rick Barnes. âWe try to solve a problem with minimal intrusion, we will educate and warn first.â
Violations are a Class 3 misdemeanor. If cited a person can face up to a $500 fine or 30 days in jail. Barnesâ goal is to avoid issuing citations.
The vast majority of concerned calls come from and about guests and visitors using an Airbnb, VRBO or family cabin, Barnes said.
ArtAFlame, an event that raised $1,200 for Pine-Strawberry Fuel Reduction, was held last Friday in Strawberry and the spectacle surprised most locals who attended.
Brought to us by Kim Brennan of the PIEbar, she saw the unique event as a fun and dramatic way to raise money and awareness to the wildfire dangers our community faces.
Using fire performers to raise money for wildfire protection and prevention is a very interesting idea, Brennan admitted. She was looking for fun and different, and she definitely found it.
âBurnersâ as the performers and artists were called, make it a hobby to create metal sculptures that can be lit on fire â awe-inspiring and jarring all at the same time. The event also attracted an eclectic group of spectators, many of which dressed in attire not typically seen in the woods.
Just before 2 p.m. Thursday, a motor home fire near the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park turnoff closed Highway 87 for about an hour while firefighters worked to snuff the flames and keep it from running into the forest.
Bob Shook was driving his 1999 American Eagle north on 87 with his two dogs. His wife Beverly followed in their pickup truck. The couple was headed to the Happy Jack Lodge to set up their motor home for the summer.
âAll of the sudden there was this big cloud of white smoke, I couldnât see,â said Beverly. She put on her flashers and pulled over at the south end of Buckhead Mesa, where the highway turns into four lanes, thinking her husband would do the same.
When she walks out of the station on Sunday, it will be for the last time.
Over the years Figueroa has been on the sad, the ugly and the occasional happy call. The brotherhood and teamwork of her crew makes the daily job rewarding, she said.
âWe hauled (a local resident) down to have her baby,â she recalled with a smile. Stacy had known the mother since she was in grade school. A week later, the mom brought the baby to the station to meet the crew that helped get them to the hospital safely.
Still a tough job for any person, Figueroa said she had to stop thinking of being a âfemaleâ firefighter and just be a firefighter.
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