O’Brien County has approved a countywide burn ban for unincorporated areas of the county. The ban, authorized by State Fire Marshal Dan Wood, went into effect September 20.
There are exceptions to this burn ban. The ban does not effect: outdoor fireplaces, barbecue grills, properly supervised landfills, or the burning of trash in incinerators or trash burners made of metal, concrete, masonry, or heavy one-inch wire mesh, with no openings greater than one square inch.
For larger supervised controlled burns, a permit/contact needs to be made to the local fire chief of the fire district where the burn will take place.
The fire weather outlook is expected to reach the critical range on Thursday as low humidity and gusty winds, combined with dry fuels, will lead to conditions highly favorable for rapid fire spread.
The National Weather Service reminds people that it only takes one spark to start a fire. That spark can come from: Driving on a flat tire, Using welding equipment, Parking on dry grass or crop debris, Dragging chains behind a vehicle, Throwing cigarettes out the window.