Keith County commissioners approve immediate bans on open burning and fireworks amid drought

The Keith County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday approved two resolutions that ban open burning and the sale and use of fireworks in the county, effective immediately, citing severe drought conditions and recommendations from local fire chiefs.

The board said the measures — Resolution 2025-43 to ban open burning and Resolution 2025-42 to ban fireworks — follow recommendations from Ogallala Fire Chief Del Zimmerman, Paxton Fire Chief Kyle Gartrell, and other local chiefs who warned that current conditions would make open flames and fireworks an unmanageably high wildfire risk.

Commissioners approved the resolutions after a brief discussion about public notice and implementation. The board directed staff to prepare public messaging for social media and other outlets to warn residents ahead of Memorial Day weekend and beyond, and to coordinate ongoing checks with local fire chiefs to reassess conditions.

The resolutions were adopted without a specified end date. Commissioners discussed the difficulty of knowing when to lift a ban, and emphasized that lifting a countywide restriction would be considered carefully and could vary by area if local fire districts report improved conditions.

County staff noted that Nebraska Game and Parks guidance permits propane-fueled camp stoves and similar appliances in some locations, and that the county would include that clarification in public notices. The board also said Game and Parks officials told the county they will follow the county's lead on the ban.

The board approved both measures and asked county staff to post clear, timely guidance so residents and event organizers are notified of the prohibitions and of the process for checking whether permit exceptions or local lifts apply.