Ban on open burning remains in effect for 24 Ohio counties

COLUMBUS — Despite many areas of Ohio receiving measurable rain over the past week, numerous counties throughout the state are still experiencing drought conditions. As a result, the Ban on Open Burning that was initially ordered on Sept. 6 by Ohio State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon remains in effect for two dozen counties that have been identified by the United States Drought Monitoring System map as still being in the “Extreme Drought” or “Exceptional Drought” categories.

Under the order, if any part of a county is identified by NOAA and the USDA as being in those two categories, the entire county is included in the burn ban.

As of Friday, Oct. 4, the Ban on Open Burning includes the following counties: Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Hocking, Jackson, Jefferson, Licking, Madison, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pickaway, Tuscarawas, Vinton, and Washington.

Examples of activities prohibited by this Order in the ban area include those involving the lighting or maintaining of an open fire such as:

• Any open burning of trash, debris, waste, combustibles, leaf piles or similar vegetation

• Campfires and bonfires

• Throwing down or discarding lit or smoldering material, such as matches or cigarettes

• Using or discharging any type of fireworks

• Live-fire training events

• Flame effect(s) based displays or exhibitions, including sky lanterns and cold spark machines

• Using spark- or heat-producing devices for recreational purposes

Acceptable open flame-related activities include indoor cooking, outdoor cooking with electric stoves/cooking elements or propane/liquid fueled cooking as permitted in this Order, and use of non-flame based heating or electrical devices.

Submitted by the Ohio Department of Commerce