From the DailyHerald.com:

Brush fires have taken their toll on a thin Pembroke Township volunteer fire department throughout the years, but an illegal burn last weekend has left it without a valuable piece of equipment.

The department’s brush truck got stuck and burned, while firefighters tried to prevent the fire from reaching houses on South Dickerson Street and East Russell Drive. Nobody was injured, but the $20,000 truck has been totaled.

“We’re already down in manpower and now we’ve lost a truck,” said Fire Chief Mark Baines. “It’s devastating. Now we have to wait for Momence or St. Anne to come bail us out, and every second counts when you’re fighting a fire.”

Baines said his 12-person department battles about 100 brush fires per year. It has responded to at least 15 so far this year, including a Sunday brush fire that burned up to a resident’s pool fence. Last year, a brush fire completely destroyed a mobile home.

“It’s careless burning,” Baines said. “People are illegally burning garbage and not paying attention. A lot of these are caused by repeat offenders. I don’t understand how you can’t pay $15 a month for garbage pick up.”

Kankakee County ordinances prohibit the open burning of hazardous materials determined by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Open burning also isn’t allowed on windy days.

Now, without a brush truck, Baines had a simple message for Pembroke Township residents. “Don’t burn,” he said. “Just don’t burn.”

Pembroke FPD photo

Pembroke FPD photo

Pembroke FPD photo

Pembroke FPD photo

Pembroke FPD photo