Resident Douses Smoldering Straw Bale At East Side Community Garden

A man residing just across the street from an east side community garden noticed a straw bale smoldering in one of the garden plots.
 
He alerted the Fire Department, and as Engine Company 5 was en route, the Hargrove Street resident dumped a five-gallon bucket of water on the bale to put out the fire.
 
He told firefighters he saw someone attempting to burn off dead vegetation in the garden earlier that day. The person who’d done the burning was no longer around and firefighters were unable to make contact.
 
Engine 5 verified the bale was no longer a fire risk before leaving the gardens.
 
Controlled vegetation burns must be done in compliance with City of Madison regulations, including the application and issuance of a burn permit.
 
Community gardens may also have their own rules about burning, and gardeners should consult their garden’s policy before considering a vegetation burn.