Council hears concerns over Vinotok fire

Time for a new location?

A couple of property owners with homes located near the Four-way Stop came to the Town Council Monday, October 7 to voice their concern over the location of the annual Vinotok fire. Cathy Steinberger and Veronica Jarolimek both told the council the size of the fire appeared to put their homes in danger as embers floated through the sky through the neighborhood.

“The fire seems bigger every year,” said Steinberger. “The crowd mentality is getting more frightening. I live an old house and we have some old structures and this year we had to put out some big embers. Every year now we feel we have to sit in the yard with a hose.
“I think Vinotok is a fun event and a good festival but I don’t want the Four-way to be the permanent location,” Steinberger continued. “I’d suggest the council look at other locations in the future, like possibly the town gravel pit.”
Responding to a question from Councilperson Glenn Michel, Steinberger said the fire was her primary concern and the neighbors’. “We get people walking through the yard and we always have to clean up beer bottles the next morning around the street, but it is the fire that is worrying us.”
Jarolimek agreed. “I’m a volunteer firefighter. I’ve sat at the fire in the fire truck for nine years but this year I have a young child and didn’t want him to be asleep. It was raining embers on my house. There is a risk versus benefit equation and I wonder if it is worth the risk of having it at the Four-way anymore. I’d like to sit down with the town attorney and go over the insurance policy to make sure we’re covered.
“I really like Vinotok,” Jarolimek added. “It is great. But the fire continues to get bigger and bigger. I have a wood storage pile in the yard but luckily it was pretty wet this year. We seriously put out some giant embers that could have started a good fire. I’m not opposed to the event but I am concerned about the fire location. It was stressful at my house. I would love to see the fire moved or toned down.”
Chief marshal Tom Martin said a debriefing on the festival was planned for this week. “We’ll definitely talk about those concerns,” he said. “Every year, there are 40 minutes of real concern during Vinotok when the fire is going. Overall, Vinotok was a great event. For the most part it was on time and worked well. Organizer Molly Murfee did a great job.”
The council said they would wait until the debriefing meeting and then ask Martin and fire chief Ric Ems to give a report to the council.
“The fire is an issue every few years,” reported longtime Councilman Jim Schmidt. “Some years it is huge and then it gets scaled back and then it grows again.”
The council will review the issue at an upcoming council meeting.