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Commissioners agree to ratify fire restriction and add narrow agricultural ditch‑cleaning exemption
Summary
Board members approved ratification of the county fire restriction and directed staff to add an exception permitting agricultural irrigation‑ditch cleaning burns with prior approval from the fire district and fire marshal, to be case‑by‑case and weather‑dependent.
Franklin County commissioners discussed ratifying a pre-existing fire restriction and adding a limited agricultural exemption on April 7 that would allow ditch‑cleaning burns for irrigation maintenance under county fire‑district authorization.
Staff described proposed amendment language that would insert a clause into Resolution 14‑26 (to become 14‑26‑A) specifying the exception: burning limited to cleaning irrigation ditches for maintenance prior to seasonal use, with approval required from the county fire district or fire marshal and with denial on days of high winds or Red Flag warnings. Commissioners emphasized case‑by‑case permit issuance and coordination so that the public and emergency responders could distinguish permitted agricultural burns from wildfire reports.
The board ratified the resolution and signaled approval to add the narrow exception; staff (Ashley and the county attorney) will finalize precise amendment language and record the change during the ratification process. Commissioners noted that permits would still be denied when weather or fire conditions posed unacceptable risks.
