Burn ban back on in county

Sep. 28—It's back — a ban on burning outdoors as all three Garvin County commissioners were quick this week to support a majority of fire chiefs who believe a countywide burn ban is needed.

Not much discussion was needed Monday after the trio got an update from Jamey Meadows, who is the deputy director of emergency management in Garvin County.

With a dozen fire departments in the county, Meadows said most of the chiefs were in favor of a return of the burn ban.

"We had eight yesses and one no," Meadows said about the vote count of fire chiefs asked about a ban coming back for all of Garvin County.

"We haven't had a lot of fires even though it's dry out there,"he said.

"The (state) Forestry Department has us in the extreme drought category. If it gets any drier it could be exceptional drought."

Around 16 counties in Oklahoma now have a burn ban, which includes neighboring Pontotoc County after a ban was approved there this week. Most of those counties are in the eastern half of the state.

Going back to the middle of the summer if was July 21 when commissioners here put a burn ban in place for Garvin County.

That ban remained in place until Sept. 6 after much of the county and region received some much needed rainfall.

Now it's back for a 14-day period after all three commissioners were quick to give their blessing to the burn ban's return.

"We've decided to put one in effect," said District 2 Commissioner Gary Ayres after he and fellow commissioners Mike Gollihare (District 3) and Randy Chandler (District 1) heard the update.

The ban here means landowners are not allowed to burn trash in a barrel even on their own property.

It prohibits outdoor campfires or bonfires and only allows gas or charcoal cooking in a grilling receptacle conducted over a non-flammable surface at least five feet from flammable vegetation.

Activities like welding, cutting torches and grinding will be allowed only with specified safety precautions in place.