From reports

Effective 3:15 p.m. Friday, September 20, the Whitley County Commissioners, in collaboration with the Whitley County Fire Chiefs Association, enacted a county-wide Burn Ban.

The following activities are prohibited:
– Campfires and other recreational fires
– Open burning of any kind using conventional fuel such as wood or other combustible matter, with the exception of grills fueled by charcoal briquettes, natural gas, or propane
– Burning in burn barrels
– The burning of debris, such as timber or vegetation (grass and leaves), including such debris that result from building construction activities
– Fireworks
– Charcoal from permitted grills shall not be removed from grills until the charcoal has been thoroughly extinguished

The decision is based on the extremely dry conditions Indiana as a whole has experienced over the last month, which, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, has placed Whitley County in the category of D1, Moderate Drought. Any rain forecast will likely not be significant enough to penetrate deep enough and will quickly evaporate on the surface. We will need several days of rain to offset the drought conditions.

The Fire Chiefs will review conditions weekly to determine if the ban should remain in place or be lifted. Hopefully we get the much needed rain soon. We appreciate your support and cooperation in this matter.

You may view the current Statewide burn ban status at the link below:
https://www.in.gov/dhs/burnban/