From today's SJ-R...

Weeks of smoldering likely
Controlled burn got out of hand

By BRUCE RUSHTON
STAFF WRITER

Published Wednesday, May 16, 2007

A controlled burn at Springfield's old yard-waste recycling plant on
Recreation Drive near Interstate 72 has turned into a smoking field of
tree stumps, limbs and other debris that could smolder for two weeks.

Read entire article at:
http://www.sj-r.com/Sections/News/Stories/114531.asp


I met a salesclerk yesterday (May 15) who mentioned that her mother
who lives in Westchester is suffering from poison ivy exposure.
It is odd because there is no poison ivy where she lives.

Perhaps there was poison ivy mixed in with the branches that are
burning at the branch facility and she came in contact with that from
a breeze at her home.

The urushiol (the poison in poison ivy) can become airborne and be
breathed in thru the lungs. I hear that is a nasty way of being
affected that can land the victim in the emergency room.

This is just one more reason why a burning ban for all of Sangamon
County would be benficial for everyone.

Quotes from websites on this topic:

A particularly severe case of poison ivy can occurs when you are
burning debris that contains poison ivy plants. The fire produces
resin-containing smoke that can be inhaled and deposited on the
exposed parts of the skin. The resulting rash can cause a severe
reaction that may need more potent medication like a steroid shot or
oral prednisone.
http://tfn.net/HealthGazette/poison2.html


Never burn poison ivy. Burning can cause the oil to get into the air,
and you can then breathe it in or get it in your eyes. The smoke from
burning poison ivy will cause the same reaction in your lungs that
normally happens on the skin. Reactions to this kind of exposure can
be far more serious than those resulting from topical contact, in fact
breathing the smoke from burning poison ivy can cause death.

http://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Getting-Poison-Ivy-or-Poison-Oak

How to recognize poison ivy.
Includes a helpful quiz.
http://www.poison-ivy.org/quiz/index.htm


Photos: Fire at former Branch Facility on Recreation Drive
http://springfieldphotos.blogspot.com/2007/05/fire-at-former-branch-facility-on.\
html

http://springfieldphotos.blogspot.com/