The county is extending its burn ban as drought conditions continue.
The Johnson County Board of Commissioners extended the burn ban for another 30 days effective Monday and expiring Oct. 23. Officials declared the county at risk of “widespread fire hazards” because of the county’s U.S. Drought Monitor categorization as being in “abnormally dry” and “moderate drought” conditions. The original order also stated that there was little chance of rain in the coming days.
The burn ban can be lifted earlier with a two-thirds vote from the commissioners.
Last week, Commissioner Brian Baird issued a temporary, seven-day county-wide burn ban that would’ve ended Sept. 24. It was implemented after Johnson County Emergency Management Director Stephanie Sichting requested it and after fire protection districts and departments responded to field fires. The original ban could only be seven days as it was without two-thirds approval from the full board of commissioners.
The commissioners voted Monday to also prohibit any campfires or recreation fires during the ban, although campfires and recreation fires were originally allowed last week in an at least 23-inch by 10-inch fire ring that was personally attended to. Other prohibited activities, according to the order, are open burning of any kind using wood or any other combustible material, any kind of debris (including timber, vegetation and building construction waste) and consumer fireworks subject to Indiana code.
The order does give an exception to cooking grills fueled by charcoal briquettes or propane gas. Charcoal from grills cannot be removed from a grill until the charcoal has been thoroughly extinguished.
When the order was first issued, Johnson County became the 34th Indiana county to issue a county-wide burn ban. Now two-thirds of the state, or 61 counties, are under a burn ban of some sort, according to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
All of Johnson County’s neighbors, excluding Marion County, have also issued burn bans.
Rain may be on the horizon for the county this upcoming week. Monday night has a 70% chance of rain and Tuesday has a 90% chance of rain during the day and 60% chance at night, according to the National Weather Service. Showers have a 30% chance of returning Thursday and 40% chance Friday. The weather is expected to have a high in the upper 70s to 80 degrees and a low ranging from 59 to 65 degrees.
