May 27th, 2021 Wildland Fire Assessment Map. Photo: ND Response

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The City of Jamestown will be exploring its own burn ban ordinance at the request of Jamestown Fire Chief Jim Reuther.

During the Police & Fire Committee meeting Thursday, Chief Reuther reported that after an unusual winter and spring, conditions have been left dry and has left Jamestown and North Dakota in a dry state.

Dry conditions and numerous calls has expended a majority of the budget for the Jamestown Rural Fire Department. He says the department has received numerous calls regarding the county burn ban.

Reuther added he would like to see open flames like fire pits and firework detonation included in a burn ban if conditions were Very High, Extreme, or a Red Flag Warning has been issued.

Assistant City ATtorney Abbagail Geroux informed the committee that provisions of enforcement in the county ordinance would have to be changed if the city wished to enforce the burn ban.

The committee moved to adopt a policy to follow the Stutsman County ordinance and work to create a burn ban ordinance for the City of Jamestown.

In other Fire Department information, Chief Reuther says they’re beginning trainings, inspections, and have plans to conduct the annual pancake feed for free to thank the public for their assistance with the Ladder Truck purchase.

Jamestown Police Department Major Justin Blinsky presented information on the department to the committee.

He stated the department recently participated in the NDDOT Traffic Safety Speed Enforcement Saturation from April 23rd to May 23rd.

Blinsky says the department worked an extra 41 1/2 dedicated hours for the enforcement.

In other Police Department news, Blinsky says there has been a lot of “acts of kindness” the department has been seeing lately.