Lawrence County adopts temporary outdoor burn ban after state forestry recommendation

Lawrence County commissioners on Oct. 7 approved a temporary countywide open burning ban after the county received a written recommendation from the district forester and input from local fire chiefs, a process the board said is required before enacting a ban.

Chad Strobel, the county’s director of public safety, told commissioners the state forestry office and district forester had elevated preparedness and provided data showing very dry fuel moisture levels and conditions conducive to rapid fire spread. Strobel said, “The conditions are right. ... the state went to its planning level 2 for wildfires, which is elevated,” and that an individual ban “expires automatically after 30 days unless extended.”

David Allegro, a Taylor Township supervisor who also serves as a volunteer fire chief, told the board he had been contacted by the district forester and urged the commissioners to adopt the ban because forecast rain was limited and local conditions remained below normal precipitation.

Commissioners cited the resolution’s statutory process, which requires a written recommendation from the district forester who must solicit verbal requests from at least 10 fire chiefs or from 50% of the county’s fire chiefs, whichever number is less, before the commissioners may adopt a temporary countywide burn ban. The resolution also specifies that use of propane or gas stoves, charcoal grills, tobacco use, and campfires confined in approved rings (with flammable material cleared within five feet) are treated differently under the rules.

The board approved Resolution 317 by roll call. County staff said the ban can be rescinded before 30 days if conditions improve; the ban is intended to reduce wildfire risk to property and firefighters while conditions remain dry.