Rainfall leads Fallin to amend burn ban

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Published on Monday, 26 September 2011 15:50

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY — Gov. Mary Fallin plans to cut the number of county burn bans in Oklahoma by more than half, because recent rainfall has reduced the threat of wildfires in central and northern parts of the state, her office said Monday.

Fallin plans to issue the burn ban amendments on Tuesday after most county commissioners have a chance to consider their own countywide bans, her office said in a news release. Currently, 61 of Oklahoma's 77 counties have burn bans, but Fallin plans to lift the bans in 33 counties.

"The drought continues to persist across Oklahoma, but the recent light rains have given some counties a temporary reprieve from extreme fire conditions," Fallin said.

"Individual counties can utilize more localized data, conditions and fire occurrence to decide if burn bans are called for on a county level."

Effective Tuesday at 1 p.m., the ban will cover 28 counties: Atoka, Beaver, Beckham, Bryan, Carter, Choctaw, Cimarron, Coal, Comanche, Cotton, Garvin, Greer, Harmon and Jackson, Jefferson, Johnston, Kiowa, Love, Marshall, McCurtain, Murray, Pontotoc, Pushmataha, Roger Mills, Stephens, Texas, Tillman, and Washita.

Those counties still have very high fire danger due to the wildland fuel conditions and fire behavior.

"We are just hopeful that we will get some precipitation this winter to allow spring green up which often signals the end of fire season," said state Forester George Geissler.

The ban includes campfires, bonfires, fireworks and setting fire to trash, grass, woods or other materials outdoors. Gas and charcoal grilling is allowed provided that it is over a nonflammable surface and at least five feet from flammable vegetation.