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(NewsDakota.com) Dickey County is implementing a change in policy when it comes to this spring’s fire danger season and issuing outdoor burn bans.
In past years in the county, any activity that produced a spark that was outside was not allowed while a burn ban was in effect.
“These types of bans work well, but are totally inflexible and very restrictive to all our citizens. This law, when enforced, treats the back yard bar-b-queue the same as burning a section of CRP.” said Dickey County Emergency Manager Charley Russell.
Russell notes that burning is something that is required in agricultural work, and as a result a change needed to be made in the definition.
“The North Dakota Rangeland Fire Folks have a Fire Danger Index signs in most communities which are changed daily by your local fire department representatives.” said Russell. “The Index is based on the National Weather Service’s predictions and the amount of fuel moisture in the area. During the period of these Burn Emergencies, these signs, will be used to guide our public as when it is safe to burn in our counties. In the event you do not have one of these signs in your community, or you do not want to drive to town, the information is readily available on the Bismarck National Weather Service’s home page under ‘Fire Weather’”.
Russell says when the Fire Danger reaches the very high or extreme categories, there will be no open burning allowed; which includes such things as ditches, camp fires, and bonfires. In addition; during theses times extreme care needs to be taken if grilling outdoors. In the high category or below, open burning can resume with caution, notes Russell.
Penalties for violations of open burning during the very high or extreme categories include 30 days in jail, a $1000 fine in addition cost of the fire response and any damages.
Russel also notes that when a Red Flag Warning is issued by the National Weather Service for the county, that equates to a “No Burn Day”.