Seasonal fires. That’s what brought Bishop volunteer firemen and police to a home and dentist office at the corner of Line and South Streets last night.

Bishop Fire Chief Ray Seguine explained that the someone at the residence had dumped woodstove ashes into the plastic trash can, which started a fire. Seems that a passerby saw the flames and called in the fire on a cell phone.

Chief Seguine said that frequently, people put their woodstove or fireplace ashes in a card board box, place it on the porch and the house catches on fire. This is a common phenomenon in Mammoth Lakes, too. Visitors occasionally place ashes from stoves and fireplaces in boxes and place them on the balconies of condos. Fire usually flares up.

Chief Seguine urged homeowners and renters to use a metal bucket with a lid. He said it’s wise to leave the ashes in the bucket for up to a week to make sure the fire is dead out.

Winter time safety advice from Bishop’s Fire Chief.

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