MESA, Ariz. — The Mesa Fire and Medical Department said they’re seeing more people use weed burners to clean their yards, and they’re telling them to stop.
The department said in the first half of 2024, they’ve already responded to at least five fires they believe to have been caused by people burning weeds around their homes.
Mesa said using a weed burner in Arizona is not only dangerous for the person doing it, but it puts neighbors at risk of their homes catching fire to. Firefighters said it is a quick and easy method, but it is very unsafe.
12News covered a fire in Mesa back in April where two homes went up in flames on a windy day. Firefighters pointed to weed burning as the cause. While the flame burners can be easily bought online and at popular home improvement stores, Tyson Matheny, a Mesa fire inspector, said don’t do it and explained why it's so dangerous.
"Everything is already dry, everything is preheated here in the Valley," Matheny said. "We're at 110 degrees on a regular basis throughout the summer months. That means everything, all of those fuels in your yard, even your house, it's all preheated. It takes just a little bit of time for that heat to ignite something you don't want it to ignite."
Matheny said there's also a risk with the fire catching stucco on homes, getting into the attic and then smoldering for hours before the flames take hold, starting to smoke and burn.
Matheny said there are are safer alternatives to weed burning. One is pulling weeds the good old-fashioned way and another is using organics or chemicals to get rid of them. Mesa fire said to call 911 if you see a fire burning, you think has been caused by weed burning.
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