January 23, 2018
By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –
As a result of the combination of dry weather and recent fires that have occurred more often and more dangerous, Custer County Commissioners have declared a burn ban for the county.
At their Monday meeting, the three commissioners approved the ban for the next 14-days after Weatherford’s Fire Chief Mike Karlin and the Custer County Emergency Management Director Mike Galloway recommended it.
County Commissioner for District 3 and Current Commission Chairman Lyle Miller says the are wanting to be proactive before there’s a serious incident.
The ban was initiated by the concerns regarding the current severe drought, high winds and that fact that no precipitation is in sight. And, Miller says, there’s a fairly high probability that they’ll consider extending it their meeting on the day its set to expire on February 5.
The Chairman says a majority of the county is experiencing severe drought conditions according to the latest drought monitor, but Miller acknowledges that it’s not restricted to just Custer County. It’s everywhere around here.
According to the burn ban declaration, it’s unlawful for any person to set fire to any forest, grass, range, crop or other wild lands or to build a campfire or bonfire or to burn trash or other material that may cause a forest, grass, range, crop or other wild land fire.
There are some exceptions and those can be found in the resolution or by calling the county’s emergency management office in Arapaho.
Miller and his fellow commissioners acknowledge that recent fires have seemed to occur more often and have been larger than normally.
The declaration reads that any person convicted of violating the burn ban shall be guilty of a criminal misdemeanor and subjected to a fine of not more than $500-dollars or jailed for not more than a year or both.
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