Emergency calls include 21 fire calls

As the weather warms, the number of fires handled by Valley Fire is rising. The department handled 21 fires the week of June 26-July 2.

“Five of those were considered suspicious fires,” said Deputy Fire Marshal Bill Clifford. “They ranged from Dumpster fires to a fire in a mailbox and a port-a-potty.”

Major structure fires included a house at 13815 E. Wellesley Ave. on June 27 at 7:52 a.m.

The Fire Department regularly visits schools to provide fire safety training. Two children in the house had received the training and managed to escape even though one of the exits was blocked, Clifford said. “They heard the smoke alarms. They were able to alert their grandparents to the fire, and everyone got out safely.” The fire was caused by the compressor in the refrigerator.

An attic fire caused heavy damage to a house at 1504 S. Virginia Road at 5:40 a.m. on June 30. The fire was possibly caused by faulty electrical wiring, and several residents were able to escape unharmed.

There were also five small brush fires, two of them suspicious. One was a slash pile fire, which is illegal. Backyard fires are allowed as long as a burn ban is not in place. Those fires must be no larger than 36 inches in diameter, no higher than 2 feet and be located at least 25 feet away from a combustible structure. Bonfires and burn barrels also are illegal.

Overall, the Fire Department responded to 252 calls, 187 of them medical calls.