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Suwannee County adopts ordinance enabling fire chief to declare burn bans amid drought concerns
Summary
After a public hearing and public questions about data and enforcement, the Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners unanimously adopted an ordinance giving the fire chief authority to declare or lift burn bans subject to later board approval; violations are a second-degree misdemeanor when committed knowingly.
The Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners on March 17 adopted an ordinance authorizing the county fire chief to declare and lift countywide burn bans in response to drought and public-safety conditions.
County counsel Adam Morrison told the board the ordinance would give the chief immediate authority to act during extreme drought but that any declaration or rescission must be presented to the board at its next regular meeting, where the commissioners may accept or veto that action. Morrison said enforcement would include a criminal penalty: “it’s made a second degree misdemeanor to…
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