I may have to go visit my mother for a few days - neighbor rant not dh rant

[celticmom]

We live in a fairly rural undeveloped area. Recently someone purchased some land that is diagonally connected to part of our backyard and began clearin it with a bulldozer to build a house. No problem, I am not personally a fan of wholesale rather than relatively selective clearing but it is his land and his business. Then we heard from our next door neighbors that he was almost fined for clearing wetlands and now will have to change where he plans to put his house.

 

Friday dh calls me when I am at my mother's house after taking dd to an activity to tell me that the neighbor is burning the brush and trees that were bulldozed and there are flames 12 feet in the air. His car and the front porch are covered in ash.

 

Fast forward to today the fire is still smoldering and giving off plenty of smoke. It stinks outside. I am an asthmatic, fortunately it is very mild but I am beginning to experience symptoms especially when I go outside. I am seriously considering going to my mother's house with dd until the fire is out and not smoking. I am also concerned about dd because my father had asthma and I probably inherited the potential to develop asthma from him. I do not want this situation to trigger asthma in dd.

 

Dh will probably have to remain to take care of the dogs and the chickens although I am tempted to try to figure out a way to transport them to my mom's too.

 

It just seems unfair that I should have to leave my home even temporarily due to this neighbor's irresponsibility.

[kalanamak]

:grouphug: I gave up living in the sticks because I couldn't stand the junked cars, junked trailers, and the horrible screaming at the kids. Rural around here just isn't the same as rural back home was in the 60s. Back there you could barely see a neighbor.

[missiemick]

Both sets of my parents live in rural areas - burning trash/brush is fairly common. Maybe you're just used to being alone out there.

[celticmom]

Both sets of my parents live in rural areas - burning trash/brush is fairly common. Maybe you're just used to being alone out there.

 

I have lived in rural areas most of my life and am familiar with the practice. I have even been known to enjoy a nice bonfire to roast marshmallows and hotdogs on after it dies down somewhat. The problem is the sheer amount that this person is trying to burn and the fact that the pile has been left smoldering and smoking for three days now. I also strongly suspect that it is not being supervised very closely since it is smoldering rather than burning which is a major hazard.

[jennsmile]

We burn here in Texas. But they are to be controlled burns and not to smolder overnight. We burn a clump of cedar during the day but it is out by dusk. You might check the laws where you live. If we burn 1 hour after sunset and don't extinquish the smoldering pile we are breaking the law. We also are to be 300 feet from any residence unless we get permission from the property owner.

[Jean in Newcastle]

In our area of the country that would be illegal - even in rural areas.

[Mergath]

Growing up, my family used to burn brush all the time, but we were extremely careful about it. And even then, twenty years ago, there were ordinances that had to be followed. If the guy is violating any rules, turn him in. What he's doing is a danger.

[Myeightkiddies]

My home is located in a neighborhood with a really pesky HOA. However, last night I opened my window because my office was hot. It didn't take long for my office to be filled with the smell of someone burning trash. I finally had to close the window and turn the air conditioner on to help get rid of the smell/smoke. Several of us have asthma. This isn't the first case of trash burning. I'm not sure who is doing it but it's really annoying (since the trash burner lives closely to others).