The Price of Neglected Weeds
A rash of grass fires in Kennewick sparks a debate on municipal maintenance and railroad responsibility.
The story, cleaned up
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The fire department has been called out four times within the last week. At least three, and possibly all, of the fires had their origin in grass growths on neglected property. Tuesday evening the council was presented with a bill from the fire department for $105 for services rendered at these fires. The amount of this bill if applied to the weed patches two or three weeks ago would have cleared them, would have prevented the fires, would have protected the surrounding property, and would have saved the expense of fire fighting. Fortunately, none of the fires have been of serious results, but they have nevertheless served to remind us what might have happened had not a vigorous weed-cutting campaign been organized. It is cheaper to use the hoe than the nozzle and a whole lot safer. It is also noticeable that the railroad companies have been slow in cutting the weeds along their rights of way where fire danger is really the greatest. At least three of the recent fires are said to have originated from engine sparks which usually kindle when they fall on weedy rights of way.
“It is cheaper to use the hoe than the nozzle and a whole lot safer.”
Public safety and fire prevention in arid climates remain a central civic responsibility in the Tri-Cities. The tension between municipal weed-abatement ordinances and the lack of maintenance on rail corridors is a recurring theme in Washington urban planning.
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