Burn ban in affect for Marion County residents
Marion County has joined other Kansas counties in implementing a burn ban.
Marion County Commission met Friday in special session to implement the ban, which became effective on Friday, to discourage open burning within the county due to extremely dry and windy conditions.
More common in spring and summer months, above- normal temperatures and little precipitation has caused concern for wildfires. Wildfires have occurred in Texas and Oklahoma during the past several weeks.
The ban prohibits careless use of smoking materials, including cigarettes, cigars, and smoking pipes, open fires or campfires except in permanent stoves, fireplaces, or barbecue grills in development recreation sites or residential lawns, and burning of fence rows, fields, pastures, grasslands, and ravines.
Trash and debris only may be burned in permanent stoves or enclosures.
The ban also included the use of welding equipment and other torching equipment without fire protection equipment on site.
With the proclamation, all city and county law enforcement and fire department agencies are authorized to enforce the law. Violations may result in up to one-year in jail and/or up to $2,500 in fines.
The commission will review conditions on a weekly basis. The ban will be lifted after sufficient rainfall has occurred.
