Bartholomew County under burn ban due to fire threat

The Bartholomew County Commissioners have issued a countywide burn ban due to the extreme dangers of fires in the area.

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for all of our listening area. A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

The Bartholomew County Commissioners proclamation:

County Burn Ban
Bartholomew County, Indiana
?
October 16, 2020
Whereas, Bartholomew County, Indiana is immediately threatened by a natural disaster- specifically county wide drought conditions, and;

Whereas, as of October 16, 2020, we find our county to be at risk of widespread fire hazards because of the ongoing drought conditions and;

Whereas, a county wide burn ban affecting certain activities is an appropriate public safety response to the fire hazards presented by the current drought conditions;

Now, therefore, we, the Bartholomew County Board of Commissioners, declare, pursuant to the provisions of IC 10-14-3-29, that a state of emergency exists in the county and that we hereby invoke and declare those portions of the Indiana Code which are applicable to the conditions and have caused the issuance of this proclamation, to be in full force and effect in the county for the exercise of all necessary emergency authority for protection of the lives and property of the people of Bartholomew County.

We also declare that, effective immediately, the following activities are prohibited in Bartholomew County:

?1.campfires and other recreational fires;
2.open burning of any kind using conventional fuel such as wood, or other ?combustible matter, with the exception of grills fueled by charcoal briquettes or ?propane;
3.?the burning of debris, such as timber or vegetation, including such debris that ?results from building construction activities; and
4.?the use of burn barrels for any open burning at residential structures.

Charcoal from permitted grills shall not be removed from the grills until the charcoal has been thoroughly extinguished.

In addition, we strongly encourage our residents to attend public displays of fireworks and limit their personal use of fireworks to those that do not leave the ground, and that they refrain from using aerial firework devices.

Reference is hereby made to all appropriate laws, statutes, ordinances and resolutions, and particularly to Section 10 14-3-29 of the Indiana Code.

All public offices and employees of Bartholomew County are hereby directed to exercise the utmost diligence in the discharge of duties required of them for the duration of the emergency and in execution of emergency laws, regulations, and directives whether state and local.

All residents are called upon and directed to comply with necessary emergency measures, to cooperate with public officials and disaster services forces in executing emergency operations plans, and to obey and comply with the lawful directions of properly identified officers.

All operating forces will direct their communications and requests for assistance and operations directly to the Emergency Operations Center.
Bartholomew County Commissioners