Effective use of home sprinklers will be demonstrated during a planned fire this week to prepare for proposed changes in subdivision regulations.

Kittrell Volunteer Fire Department and Rutherford County Fire and Rescue’s volunteer firefighters will conduct a side-by-side burn inside two 8x8-foot rooms with furniture at 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8 at Kittrell Volunteer Fire Department’s training ground, said volunteer county Fire Marshal Ken Honeycutt. One side will have a sprinkler while the other side will not have a sprinkler.

Both structures will be ignited to show the progression of a fire with and without sprinklers.

“We will demonstrate what one sprinkler head is capable of doing,” Honeycutt explained.

Rutherford County residents are served only by volunteer fire departments.

Firefighters invited Mayor Ernest Burgess, the Rutherford County commissioners, Rutherford County Planning Commission members and citizens to witness the burn because of proposed changes regarding sprinklers in subdivisions.

Planning Director Doug Demosi said county subdivision regulations since 2009 require sprinklers to be installed into subdivisions with four or more lots if the builder must seek a fire hydrant waiver for lack of water pressure.

A proposal reduces the number of lots from four to two if the builder must seek a fire hydrant waiver for lack of water pressure, Demosi said.

Planners scheduled a public hearing Aug. 12.

Honeycutt said anyone who wants to witness the demonstration is invited.

“This is an educational tool we want to present to members of the commissions to give them an idea of what they’re voting on in our subdivision regulations,” Honeycutt said.