Burn Ban in effect for Adair County

The Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office announced a burn ban for Adair and Guthrie counties on Wednesday, Feb. 18.

A burn ban may be requested by the Adair and Guthrie County emergency management coordinator on behalf of the counties’ fire chiefs if conditions warrant prohibiting open burning.

“Upon investigation, the fire marshal finds that conditions in Adair County are such that open burning constitutes a danger to life or property,” the press release stated. “A burn ban means that conditions are drier than normal and the chances of a fire growing out of control are much higher. A burn ban is issued to prohibit outdoor fires to vegetation, rubbish or yard waste when it would otherwise be permitted.”

No person shall engage in open burning until further notice. Any violation of the order is a simple misdemeanor.

The ban does not prohibit a supervised, controlled burn for which a permit has been issued by the fire chief of the district where the burn will take place. Also allowed is the use of outdoor fireplaces, barbecue grills, properly supervised landfills, or open burning of trash in incinerators or trash burners made of metal, concrete, masonry or heavy 1-inch wire mesh, with no openings larger than 1 square inch.

Residents may visit the State Fire Marshal’s webpage to see which counties are under a burn ban. Counties with an active burn ban appear with a red flame icon, and counties where a ban has recently been lifted appear with a blue icon on the map.

“Burn bans are likely to be requested every spring and fall,” the state fire marshal said. “This year, the state has seen near unprecedented dry conditions. Spring winds and dry vegetation allow fires to spread very rapidly. Many people underestimate the fire risk during these extended periods of dryness, placing them at high risk of becoming injured by outdoor fires. Many outdoor grass and yard waste fires are a matter of wanting to burn rather than a need to burn.”