DANVILLE — Firefighters in the city now have more enforcement power.

Instead of calling a police officer to the scene of an illegal burning incident or another fire prevention code violation, firefighters are writing the tickets themselves.

This has started immediately, said Danville Public Safety Director Larry Thomason this week.

He said firefighters have undergone training in ordinances pertaining to the city’s fire prevention code and writing citations.

Thomason said the fire division will enforce ordinances pertaining to items such as illegal leaf fires and careless disregard for maintenance of a recreational fire.

“The fire division has the responsibility of enforcing those codes within Chapter 92 of the city’s ordinances,” Thomason said in a news release.

Firefighters received instructions on how to complete a notice to appear and provide the necessary elements of an offense to assist the legal department in prosecution, Thomason said.

A notice to appear is a written citation that directs the offender to appear in municipal court, and in the cases of fire-related violations does not require the offender to be taken into custody, in most instances.

Thomason said the fire division’s intent is to gain compliance with the fire codes.

“Over the years, calls have sent fire personnel to locations where illegal burns were taking place. Those illegal acts can jeopardize nearby properties and a fire can spread quickly. The chance that someone may get injured, including the fire crews on scene, is always a possibility,” he said.

Thomason said the fire division has always had the ability to write violations but in instances where violations had occurred, the offender was given a warning.

A review of fire calls alerted the division to repeat calls in some instances. That review initiated the training.

Assistant Fire Chief John High said Police Evidence and Training Manager Randy Osgood conducted a class to demonstrate the citation process.

Firefighters already are familiar with writing reports about all fire call incidents. This involves different forms and paperwork.

“It’s just one more thing to fill out,” High said.

He said firefighters havewritten citations in the past, but it’s been “very limited.”

Usually a police officer is called to the scene.

The biggest violation firefighters see is illegal burning.

High said sometimes there are issues with motorists running over fire hoses at a fire scene or other violations firefighters might deal with.

But the city saw more than 100 illegal burning violations last year.

Residents are only allowed to burn leaves in the city.

High said the biggest violation seems to be when residents burn building materials with remodeling projects.

Wood, asphalt shingles and other materials can’t be burned.

“The burning issue has always been an issue for us,” High said.

There also are rules for leaf burning, such as: the burning must be between sunrise and sunset and be attended by a person older than 16 years at all times. The fire can not be on a public street, alley or sidewalk and must be in the open at least 50 feet from a structure.

Burning done in an approved container must be at least 15 feet from any structure. In any instance, a garden hose, bucket or water or fire extinguisher must be readily available.

Also, the burning shall not occur on windy days, or under other conditions which create or add to a hazardous situation.

A violator is then given a notice to appear in municipal court.

Violating the leaf burning ordinance or committing other Chapter 92 code violations has fines from $150 to more than $1,000 per offense.

High said the distance from a building regulation sometimes can be hard to follow in the city.

But then there are habitual offenders too, who violate the city’s rules, he added.

High said the fines should be an incentive to obey the law.

But this increased enforcement also is partially how the fire department is trying to generate more revenue to pay for its expenses.

In the proposed 2010-11 city budget, $25,000 in new revenue is expected.

Mayor Scott Eisenhauer has said that the funding will come from enforcing ordinances already on the books.

One of those pertains to services to non-residents and services outside city limits.

“Yes, we are taking a much stronger stand on fines for illegal burning, on false alarms, on illegal use of fireworks, etc. All of those will see a much greater and stronger enforcement,” Eisenhauer said.