LAMOURE, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – LaMoure County Commission voted in a roll call vote to affirm the Fire Emergency and Burn Ban.
Burning will be prohibited when the Fire Danger Rating is High, Very High or Extreme and/or a Red Flag Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for LaMoure County. The Fire Danger Rating is updated daily on the website www.ndresponse.gov.
Open burning may be allowed in LaMoure County when the Fire Danger Rating is Low or Moderate; however, one should review all the resources on the NDResponse website for the Fire Weather Forecast as well as North Dakota Fire Danger Guide for other restrictions.
The Burn Ban which was initially approved on Monday, March 29th by the LaMoure County Commission Chairman. During the LaMoure County Commission regular meeting, the Commission discussed a total burn ban and additional burn restrictions. The signed burn ban includes a ban on open burning that includes burning of leaves, grass clippings, garbage/pits, construction debris, fallen trees, crop residue or hay land, sloughs, and campfires/bonfires.
The ban recognizes that controlled devices may be used only when the device (gas, charcoal, or wood-fired grills, patio fireplaces and chimineas, gas camp stoves, and smokers) is on a hard, non-organic surface and 15 feet away from vegetation and an extinguisher or water is available on site. The penalty for violation of this Burn Ban is a Class B Misdemeanor (NDCC 37-17.1-10.1: Maximum sentence of 30 days in jail and $1,500 fine).
The Fire Danger Rating is issued daily and is available at www.ndresponse.gov. The Fire Danger Rating accounts for preexisting and current weather, fuel types and live and dead fuel moisture and is a collaborative effort with the Wildland Fire Assessment as well as federal land management agencies and the National Weather Service. A Red Flag warning will be issued when the combination of high temperatures, very low humidity and strong winds produce an increased risk of fire.
The Fire Emergency and Burn Ban will be in effect until October 1, 2021 yet can be removed by a vote of the County Commission if the fire emergency or drought conditions change. LaMoure County fire departments were dispatched to more than 10 fire calls in March 2021. The U.S. Drought Monitor currently shows the majority of LaMoure County at a D1- Moderate Drought intensity.
A small portion of the county is at the D2- Severe Drought intensity. Extreme drought (D3 intensity) is currently only seen through northwest and northcentral North Dakota. The U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook for the months of March-June indicates drought persists through this time period.
Again, the NDResponse website is updated daily with Fire Danger Rating and Red Flag Warnings. Additional information can be found on the LaMoure County website: https://lamourecountynd.com/ or by calling the Emergency Manager at 701 883-6096.