The Almond Hull fire in Tracy, California(photo from http://www.news10.net/story/news/local/2015/05/19/health-caution-issued-for-smoke-from-san-joaquin-valley-fire/27598687/)
I am not usually one to tell other professionals how to do their job but when my family’s health and happiness is at stake sometimes etiquette must be ignored. The amount of smoke and ash that has enveloped our community in Lathrop while firefighters watch the Tracy Almond Hull Fire burn itself out is completely unacceptable. Unfortunately, due to the nature and size of the fire, simply using copious amounts of water is not a good option. Instead, why not spread the smoldering piles out and then bring in truckloads of sand to bury the fire affected areas? Since the negligence of the agricultural waste processing center is responsible for a health advisory in a three county area, I would think that they would be happy to foot the bill for the transportation of sand and firefighter overtime. In addition, I believe that anyone who chooses to store large amounts of flammable compost should also be required to store sufficient amounts of a substance which can extinguish fires on their property should they occur. After all, as the demographics San Joaquin County continue to evolve shouldn’t our fire response and preparedness be evolving also?
Chess Musings 