Two fires occur in area despite burn ban
Peabody Fire Chief Ronnie Harms has issued a plea for Peabody residents to be extra careful with flammable materials in the coming days. Marion County is under a burn ban because of dry conditions, high winds, and warm temperatures.
"There is no rain or snow in the forecast so these conditions are going to go on for some time," said Harms. Peabody firefighters were called out twice this past weekend to grass fires. The first was Saturday at Pawnee and 90th; the second was Sunday on Spruce Street on the east side of town.
"Both fires were suspicious," he said. "They were due to someone's carelessness." Harms said both fires spread quickly because of the dry conditions and the wind.
The burn ban will be in effect from Monday to Monday and will be at the discretion of the county commission. Harvey County issued a burn ban this past week and extended it again at their meeting Monday.
Smokers are being asked to be especially careful about extinguishing smoking materials properly. People taking advantage of warm temperatures to cook out are asked to keep an eye on charcoal and be sure the embers are out before dumping them out of a cooker.
"People should just use common sense," said Harms. "Just stop and think about what they are doing."
County implements ban
Marion County has joined other Kansas counties in implementing a burn ban.
Marion County Commission met Friday in special session to implement the ban, which became effective on Friday, to discourage open burning within the county due to extremely dry and windy conditions.
More common in spring and summer months, above- normal temperatures and little precipitation has caused concern for wildfires. Wildfires have occurred in Texas and Oklahoma during the past several weeks.
The ban prohibits careless use of smoking materials, including cigarettes, cigars, and smoking pipes, open fires or campfires except in permanent stoves, fireplaces, or barbecue grills in development recreation sites or residential lawns, and burning of fence rows, fields, pastures, grasslands, and ravines.
Trash and debris only may be burned in permanent stoves or enclosures.
The ban also included the use of welding equipment and other torching equipment without fire protection equipment on site.
With the proclamation, all city and county law enforcement and fire department agencies are authorized to enforce the law. Violations may result in up to one-year in jail and/or up to $2,500 in fines.
The commission will review conditions on a weekly basis. The ban will be lifted after sufficient rainfall has occurred.
