Don’t light those fall fire pits yet.
The Ohio State Fire Marshal extended a fire ban for 24 Ohio counties on Thursday, despite recent rainfall from the remnants of Hurricane Helene.
“The recent rain we have received has been a welcome sight for many,” State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon said in a news release from the Ohio Department of Commerce. enough to return much-needed moisture to our soil in a way that would allow us to safely and responsibly lift the restrictions placed on the areas that remain within the burn ban boundaries.”
Under the burn ban, people are prohibited from openly burning in any county in Ohio experiencing extreme or exceptional drought.
Extreme drought is the second most severe drought level, while exceptional drought is the most severe.
Affected counties include: Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Hocking, Jackson, Jefferson, Licking, Madison, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pickaway , Tuscarawas, Vinton , and Washington.
Although significant rainfall has occurred over much of Ohio over the past week, the drought continues because the extended dry conditions have likely hardened the soil, making it less likely to absorb moisture. Some of the recent rain was also accompanied by high winds, causing moisture on the surface to evaporate more quickly, the news release said.
The number of counties with burn bans has dropped to 24 from 44 a week earlier. That’s because drought conditions have improved in much of the state and even disappeared in some areas over the past week, The Dispatch reported.
Any activity that involves lighting or maintaining an open fire is prohibited under the burning ban. Here are some examples of prohibited activities included in the press release.
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Any open burning of waste, debris, refuse, combustibles, leaf piles or similar vegetation
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Campfires and bonfires
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Discard or dispose of lit or smoldering materials, such as matches or cigarettes
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Using or lighting any type of fireworks
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Live-fire training events
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Flame effect based displays or exhibits, including sky lanterns and cold spark machines
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The use of spark or heat producing devices for recreational purposes
NHart@dispatch.com
@NathanRHart
This article originally appeared in The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio burning ban: Open burning ban extended despite recent rain
