Seward County adopts temporary burn ban effective March 2 amid dry conditions

The Seward County Commission on Feb. 24 voted 5-0 to enact a temporary countywide burn ban beginning March 2 and to review the restriction at its first April meeting (April 6).

Fire district representative Brady Steckel, speaking to the commission, said multiple recent fires were likely started when day-old burns were later rekindled by wind. “A lot of our fires have come from burns the previous day ... and I think that’s how some of them started,” Steckel said in urging a ban during the high-risk period.

Commissioners discussed whether to set a fixed end date such as March 31 or to run the ban through the first April meeting and revisit it then; staff confirmed that if the commission moved to enact the ban it could take effect as soon as March 2 once the resolution is prepared.

Members also raised questions about enforcement. Steckel said the fire district can issue citations under county code but conceded the district is not staffed to write many tickets and that the sheriff’s office and county counsel would need to be consulted on enforcement and liability. “We aren’t necessarily equipped to be writing tickets to people,” he said.

The commission directed staff to prepare the burn-ban resolution and approved the restriction unanimously. Commissioners said they will review conditions at the April meeting and can extend, lift, or modify the ban based on moisture and fire-risk indicators.

What happens next: staff will draft and circulate the formal resolution for enactment effective March 2 and will coordinate with the fire district and law-enforcement partners on enforcement questions and public notice.