Ohio Fire Marshal orders regional ban on open burning due to extreme drought conditions

COLUMBUS, Ohio — In response to extremely dry conditions in various areas of the state, Ohio Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon has ordered a regional Ban on Open Burning effective immediately.

Officials say the ban impacts any county in Ohio identified by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as being in the “Extreme Drought” or “Exceptional Drought” categories as identified by the United States Drought Monitoring System .

According to officials, the Burn on Open Burning ordered on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, includes the following Ohio counties: Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Fairfield, Fayette, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Jefferson, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Tuscarawas, Vinton, and Washington.

Officials say additional counties may be added upon designation of “Extreme Drought” or “Exceptional Drought” conditions issued by NOAA and/or the USDA within such counties or added by written directive of the State Fire Marshal.

Examples of outdoor activities prohibited by this order in the ban area include the following: lighting or maintaining a fire of any type at any location, smoking (including cigarettes or similar devices, and as part of a cooking process), non-electric cooking (regardless of fuel source), using or discharging any type of fireworks, throwing down/discarding lighted or smoldering material (including matches or cigarettes), campfires, bonfires, live fire training events, flame effect(s) based displays or exhibitions (including sky lanterns and cold spark machines), and using spark causing devices for recreational purposes.

Click here to access the order .

“Fire safety is a responsibility we all share,” said Ohio State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon. “It’s critical that Ohioans understand and appreciate the significant risks associated with fires, especially during the current drought conditions. Together we can protect our communities and environment.”

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