Stop Oronogo Smoke Damage

The city of Oronogo, Missouri has begun work on a flood-control project. The city commenced clearing a wooded acreage on County Road 215, South of 96 Hwy in March 2016.

The wood being cleared for the project is being burned by the city's hired contractors on location. County Road 215 96 Hwy have several residential neighborhoods, as well as community Church buildings and small family-owned businesses. Surrounding areas in the same airspace include Truman Elementary School and other homes and businesses. The burning for this project has only just begun and will continue for an unknown extended period.

In only the first 3 days of burning, smoke from the cleared woods has been thick enough to obstruct traffic and cause confusion on the roadway.

On March 19, 2016, a heavy fog of smoke blanketed homes and buildings and saturated even the indoors airspace. There were 8 large abandoned piles of wood/brush that were burning at the same time, unsupervised. Due to a county wide burn ban, the fire dept. was called and has mostly put out those fires for now. The fires were so inaccessible, some piles were not completely saturated and continue to burn.

This amount of consecutive burning causes smoke to rest thick across the neighborhoods. Smoke is known to cause cancer and lung damage. Smoke from wood burning is just as dangerous to the health of our lungs as cigarettes and second hand smoke. The sheer amount of smoke hovering over this community is much more dangerous than second hand smoke from a smoker.

It is not safe for our children to play outside or sleep in their own beds due to the smoke exposure. Lung cancer and lung damage are a real threat for all of the people being exposed to this constant and continuing burning.

Many people have severe allergies to smoke and must endure discomfort and pain that has no relief as long as the burning continues. In addition to health concerns, smoke quickly saturates all properties, walls of homes, furniture, carpets, even clothing and cars.

It is nearly impossible to remove the smoke smell and smoke stains from buildings and belongings. Businesses and homes will sustain costly damage to products and possessions. Children attending Truman Elementary School will have constant smoke exposure indoors and outdoors. The risk to their health is great. Buildings are not air tight. Smoke comes in.

Neighbors living in this area have been told that there is nothing illegal about burning and that only the community can convince the city to begin to "Haul and Burn" offsite in a nonresidential area. Please sign the petition and share it to anyone concerned about our community members' and children's health. Include your Name and City that you live in. We must work together to protect the health and safety of our community.

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