Commissioners approve a 14-day county wide burn ban

The Logan County Board of Commissioners Monday passed a resolution enacting a 14-day county-wide burn ban until April 17.

The Commissioners will re-evaluate in two weeks to determine if the ban will be continued or expire.

The ban comes after several structures were destroyed in the Simpson Fire over the weekend.

“We are in an extreme drought,” Emergency Manager Steven Haga told the commissioners.

Haga told the Commissioners the Simpson Fire is estimated to have burned 3,200 acres, and state forestry investigators are working to determine if the fire started due to downed power lines from high winds.

He said seven fire task forces came from across the state to help with the fire.

According to the county ban, it is unlawful for any person to set fire to any forest, grass, range, crop, or other wildlands, or to build a campfire or bonfire, or to bum trash or other material that may cause a forest, grass, range, crop, or other wildlands fire.

There are exceptions to the burn ban. For welding, cutting torch, and grinding activities when conducted over non-combustible surface of at least 10 feet by 10 feet and when welding blankets or screens are used to cover flammable vegetation, wind speeds must be less than 10 mph, a fire watch, other than the welder, is posted at the welding/cutting torch site with pressurized water or fire extinguisher.

For outdoor cooking, LPG and natural gas grills for outside cooking in a grilling receptacle are permitted provided that the activity is conducted over a non-flammable surface and at least five feet from flammable vegetation.

For agricultural burning citizens must follow Oklahoma Forestry Service guidelines. Bum plans must be in person for the duration of the controlled agricultural burning.

Enforcement of this resolution may be carried out by any law enforcement officer of this State. Any person convicted of violating this resolution shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to a fine of not more than $500, to imprisonment for not more than one year, or to both such fine and imprisonment.