Fire Marshal Warns of Dangers in Corn Maze Operations
PIKESVILLE --- The end of summer means trips to the county fairs in Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s but it also means the danger of fires in fields and woods increases, as the season tends to be dry.
The fire danger presents itself in ways many would not have imagined and according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal, fire dangers follow people when they attend the many corn mazes set up on fields around Maryland.
“Folks are curious about corn mazes and how safe they are from fire,” said State Fire Marshal William E. Barnard in a warning issued last week. “Although a corn maze may not seem to present a fire danger to most people, they are actually acres and acres of dried crops that are extremely combustible. We need look no further than to our neighbors to the west coast to understand how quickly fire can spread through burning vegetables.”
The state fire marshal recommends that entrepreneurs considering creating their own corn maze contact their local fire department or the fire marshal’s office for a complete list of fire safety steps to take before creating their puzzle of cornstalks.
Locally, there are more than a dozen corn maze operations set up in corn fields with the Bowles Farm on Rt. 234 hosting a large pumpkin patch as well. Another maze operates on Rt. 5 north of Helen.
School and church groups tour the mazes and the fields fill with families on weekends.
The most important fire safety step for anyone to take is to not smoke and for the operators of the corn maze to prohibit smoking anywhere on the grounds.