Driving around Hermiston, code enforcement officer Duane Kilsdonk is looking for properties with tall grass or weeds – kindling for wildfires.

As temperatures rise and dry material begins to pile up, the City of Hermiston is cracking down on property that is out of control.

Kilsdonk would rather see lawns and empty lots that are mowed in accordance to city ordinances. That isn’t the norm, however.

“We just want to remind people to mow their lots,” Kilsdonk said. “We don’t do it for the revenue.”

The purpose is to keep the fire hazard down, but also to ensure there are no traffic hazards or health concerns. Tall weeds can obscure a driver’s vision at corners, he said.

Keeping the fire hazard down is a good thing, Hermiston Fire and Emergency Services Fire Marshal Tom Bohm said, especially in light of the fact that open burning is banned until Oct. 1.

“Recreation fires – no more than 3 feet by 3 feet are allowed,” Bohm said. “The fire must be attended at all times and has to be out before you leave.”

Hermiston city ordinance 92.04 states that property owners may not permit weeds or other noxious vegetation to grow on their property over 15 inches high.

The ordinance also includes the infamous puncture vines and blackberry bushes that extend to the sidewalk or walkway.

The property owner, Kilsdonk said, is responsible for cutting their property. If grass is too high the city can issue a citation, and the fine could be as high as $720 plus a $40 mowing bill.

If a property owner does not pay the mowing bill, the city places a lien on the property. Once the property is sold, the city receives its money.

On Wednesday, a property owner was burning yard debris when the side of her house caught fire. Bohm said on a first offense, he would not cite a person; however, it is possible to be charged for the cost of the equipment and personnel if someone burns illegally.

With the Fourth of July in just three weeks, keeping weeds and grass down is even more important to Kilsdonk and Bohm.

“If somebody buys illegal fireworks,” Bohm said, “that’s a recipe for disaster.”

Kilsdonk agrees, which is why he has been driving the streets of Hermiston, looking for potential fire hazards.

“My main goal is to be all caught up by July 4,” Kilsdonk said. “I don’t want a fire on my watch.”

For more information about when you can burn, visit www.hermistonfire.com. For information about city ordinances, visit www.hermiston.or.us and click on “Code of Ordinances.”