We all have had a lot of storm-damaged trees during our just past storm season. Right? A large portion of us have had piles of debris which must be burned. Right? So we did get a current “Residential Burn Permit,” plan properly to follow its 12 stipulations and have a carefully tended fire. Right? So everything is OK to burn it all up. Right?

Wrong! Beware! There is at least one woman, and perhaps two, living in the Veazie-Cumberland area who have taken it upon themselves to be the district’s self-appointed “smoke wardens.”

It matters not where you live, in relation to them. If there is smoke rising anywhere in her/their horizon; near their homes or not, a complaint, using Stipulation No.10 of title permit, is made to the fire department. One even had the temerity to drive 200 feet into my private driveway to confirm the fire on my property, 900 feet back off the road.

When Stipulation No. 10 is translated into commonly understood American English properly, one must be a true “neighbor” to complain about “nuisance” smoke. That is reasonable and acceptable.

What is not reasonable is for a complaint to be made by anyone so self-important that rights of others are called into question for cancellation. Obviously some people in our area believe themselves more important than others, no matter how distant.

So, be sure you burn legal and carry on. Let’s hope that those nonqualified complainers get heartburn out of your burn pile.

J.R. Yotz

Enumclaw