With the adoption of a resolution declaring a fire danger emergency, Brown County commissioners have enacted an immediate ban on open burning.
Commissioners passed the resolution during their Tuesday, March 12 meeting at the courthouse annex.
The burn ban will be in place until it’s lifted. Commissioners plan to talk about it at their meeting next week, but with little rain expected, retracting the ban seems unlikely.
Emergency Management Director Scott Meints advised commissioners of the need for a burn ban.
In recent years, the county has adopted changes to its burn ban policy. They automatically put burn bans in place during certain weather conditions like a high heat index, extreme fire danger, a fire weather watch and when there’s a red flag warning.
A red flag warning can be issued when warm temperatures, very low humidity and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger.
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Meints said those conditions hadn’t been met as of Monday, March 11. But, in less than 24 hours, volunteer fire departments have responded to two out-of-control fires. That’s why he asked commissioners to adopt a fire danger emergency resolution.
Two controlled burns get out of control
“Two controlled burns got out of control and it wasn’t even hazardous weather conditions,” Meints said.
A controlled burn near Westport on Monday afternoon got out of control, came within 100 feet of the river bottom leading to Westport and threatened two homes, he said. No fire break was established and there was no water on hand.
The fire near Westport started as a small fire to burn tree branches, Meints said after the meeting. When ashes got into a nearby corn field, the flames spread, he said.
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The Frederick, Aberdeen rural, Columbia, Warner and Leola fire departments responded, with crews on scene from about 1 until 4 p.m., he said.
“It’s so dry with no moisture and no green up, we should put something on,” Meints said.
Columbia Fire Chief Cory Mitchell agreed.
“The one in Westport was hard to top yesterday,” he said. “It was scary, honestly.”
There was another less serious fire Monday evening north of Bath, Meints said. Groton, Columbia and Aberdeen Rural responded.
In other action, commissioners:
- Approved a change order on the new roof that will be built for the Holum Expo Building this summer. It reduces the cost by about $40,000. Curtis Miller with North Central Steel Systems said concerns were flagged after an engineering review was completed of the planned roofing material. Now, steel panels that are a similar design to what’s on the roof will likely be used. The timeline on completion should not change, Miller said, and North Central plans to be ready to begin by May 1. With the lower cost, the work should cost about $546,000.
- Heard a brief update from Sheriff Dave Lunzman, who reported the hiring of three part-time nurses for the jail to address staffing needs. Two are registered nurses and one is a licensed practical nurse. Lunzman said they’re getting in the groove of meeting medical needs at the jail. Though initially temporary hires, he said, their hiring periods have been extended. After commissioners started asking for more details about the nurses and the long-term staffing solution, Lunzman asked for an executive session to discuss personnel. Commissioners took no action following that discussion.