Lancaster County Commissioners on Wednesday unanimously voted to ban open burning in an effort to prevent wildfires. The countywide ban takes effect at 10 a.m. Friday April 13,2012. The ban outlaws all outdoor fires — including those in screen-covered burn barrels — except fires intended specifically for cooking food.
The ban will remain in effect for 30 days, according to Gockley. The commissioners then can let it expire, or they can extend it in a vote during a public meeting.
The commissioners also can end the ban early, if the district forester with the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Bureau of Forestry recommends it.
It was the district forester who recommended the burn ban to the commissioners, at the request of 10 local fire company chiefs in accordance with state law, Gockley said.
"A couple of scattered showers isn't going to be enough to end it early," Gockley said. "We would need a few days of heavy, soaking rains."
Lancaster County is about 3.5 inches behind in normal rainfall so far this year, according to Gockley.
The ban authorizes municipal and state police to cite violators with a summary offense punishable by a fine of up to $100 for the first offense, up to $200 for a second offense and up to $300 for a third and subsequent offenses.
Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/623734_Officials-issue-countywide-open-burn-ban.html#ixzz1rpchu5p7
The ban will remain in effect for 30 days, according to Gockley. The commissioners then can let it expire, or they can extend it in a vote during a public meeting.
The commissioners also can end the ban early, if the district forester with the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Bureau of Forestry recommends it.
It was the district forester who recommended the burn ban to the commissioners, at the request of 10 local fire company chiefs in accordance with state law, Gockley said.
"A couple of scattered showers isn't going to be enough to end it early," Gockley said. "We would need a few days of heavy, soaking rains."
Lancaster County is about 3.5 inches behind in normal rainfall so far this year, according to Gockley.
The ban authorizes municipal and state police to cite violators with a summary offense punishable by a fine of up to $100 for the first offense, up to $200 for a second offense and up to $300 for a third and subsequent offenses.
Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/623734_Officials-issue-countywide-open-burn-ban.html#ixzz1rpchu5p7
