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M/CLEAR Temp: 66 °F Wind: N at 3 mph Friday, August 2, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Cyberchef E The People Golf Job Network Headbone Zone Wellness Connection Movie Times Newspaper in Education Oregon CarZone Outdoor Journal Personals Prime Times Real Estate Tempo A & E TV Times W3 Magazine CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Destinations Automotive Communities Employment Entertainment Publications Real Estate Recreation Shopping Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Jobs @ Mail Tribune Email Story to a Friend August 1, 2002 Since you asked Weed out fire danger in drought With summer bringing hotter weather and the drought we are in, what are the guidelines for weed removal? Our Medford neighborhood has yards with weeds more than 3 feet high, lawns dying and left unmowed and trash piling up. It seems this would cause a fire hazard. — Brenda D., Medford When tall weeds turn brown And vines grow too thick There’s no need to frown, No cause to feel sick. Just call the weed buster To check out the grass. Courage you must muster To make the flames pass. The weed police are on the job. Sandy Saltonstall, weeds and grass technician for the Medford Fire Department, drives around town, looking for grass that’s higher than 10 inches. After June 1, Medford residents who have grass, weeds or vines higher than 10 inches are violating city ordinances. "I send a letter to the property owner, using county records," Saltonstall said. "They have two weeks to get weeds taken care of. I go back to check and if it’s not taken care of, the city takes care of it and puts a lien on the property to pay for it." But if you get a weed warning letter from the city, don’t assume your neighbor snitched on you. "I also go out and write stuff up on my own," Saltonstall said. "I’ve been doing this a long time and I know where the problem areas are. If it’s not a huge fire danger, I don’t write it up. There are a lot of people who don’t take good care of yards." Thick springtime weeds are a greater fire hazard than thin weeds that grow in late summer, she said. Saltonstall writes about 600 to 650 letters a year to property owners with weed-filled lots. Most take care of the problem. But the city clears weeds on about 25 lots each year. To report a weed problem, call 774-2319. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy web master feedback A D V E R T I S E R S