From reports

After numerous weeks of drought conditions in Columbia City and throughout Northeast Indiana, the Mayor of Columbia City has declared a State of Emergency and instituted a Burn Ban within the city limits.

On Thursday night, the Whitley County Fire Chiefs Association determined that it would be prudent for Columbia City and Whitley County to issue a Burn Ban for the foreseeable future.

“When our community goes this long with little to no rain, we have to protect our citizens and property,” said Columbia City Fire Chief Tom LaRue. “Fire can spread very easily in these conditions, and we want to ensure the safety of everyone involved.” 

Future weather forecasts point to low-to-no rain amounts and dry conditions to continue. 

“Even with a little bit of rain, the risk of fire remains high in our area,” said Mayor Ryan Daniel. “We don’t take these declarations lightly, but strongly believe this is the right course of action to prevent the threat of fires in our community.” 

The Burn Ban will be reviewed weekly to determine if a need to continue the ban exists. The last official burn ban in Columbia City was in 2012.