Full Notification

AN EMERGENCY ORDER TEMPORARILY PROHIBITING OPEN BURNING WITHIN WAYNE COUNTY, INDIANA
 
WHEREAS, Wayne County, Indiana is immediately threatened by a natural disaster- specifically county wide dry conditions, and;
 
WHEREAS, a consequence of this dry condition is that vegetation including grass, crops, trees, shrubbery and other plant materials are extremely dry and susceptible to rapidly burning and expanding fires which pose a significant threat to the safety of persons and property within Wayne County; and
 
WHEREAS, the fire chiefs serving the various fire jurisdictions of Wayne County have reported responding to numerous wildfires that have occurred throughout the county which have threatened nearby persons and property and that many of these fires have resulted from open burning; and the fire chiefs and members of the Wayne County Firefighters’ Association have requested action by the Board of Commissioners to prohibit open burning in order to reduce the risk of uncontrolled wildfires; and
 
WHEREAS, a county wide burn ban affecting certain activities is an appropriate public safety response to the fire hazards presented by the current dry conditions; and
 
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of Wayne County have the necessary emergency powers under Indiana Code and Section 45.23 of the Wayne County ordinance entitled Emergency Management Advisory Council and Emergency Management Agency to implement county-wide emergency orders to protect the general health, safety and welfare  of the citizens of Wayne County;
 
NOW THEREFORE, we, the Wayne County Board of Commissioners, declare, pursuant to the provisions of  IC 10-14-3-29,  that a state of emergency exists in the county and that we hereby invoke and declare those portions of the Indiana Code which are applicable to the conditions and have caused the issuance of this proclamation, to be in full force and effect in the county for the exercise of all necessary emergency authority for protection of the lives and property of the people of Wayne County.
  
We also declare that effective immediately, the following activities are prohibited in Wayne County:

1. campfires, other recreational fires and ceremonial fires;

2. open burning of any kind using conventional fuel such as wood, or other combustible matter, with the exception of grills fueled by charcoal briquettes or propane;

3. the burning of debris, such as timber or vegetation, including such debris that results from building construction activities;

4. the use of burn barrels for any open burning at residential structures;

5. the discarding of matches, ashes, or other burning materials from a vehicle; and

6. the use or discharge of any aerial firework devices.
 
This order shall not prohibit the use of gas or charcoal grills used solely for the preparation of food; fires within fireplaces; or fires within incinerators permitted by state law as long as all such fires are closely attended while burning and properly extinguished.  Charcoal from permitted grills shall not be removed from the grills until the charcoal has been thoroughly extinguished.
 
Reference is hereby made to all appropriate laws, statutes, ordinances, and resolutions, and particularly to Section 10‑14-3-29 of the Indiana Code, up to and including applicable fines associated with violations of this order.
 
All public offices and employees of Wayne County are hereby directed to exercise the utmost diligence in the discharge of duties required of them for the duration of the emergency and in execution of emergency laws, regulations, and directives whether state and local.  The respective fire departments are directed to extinguish any prohibited fire that is found burning within their jurisdiction.
 
All residents are called upon and directed to comply with necessary emergency measures, to cooperate with public officials and disaster services forces in executing emergency operations plans, and to obey and comply with the lawful directions of properly identified officers.
 
All operating forces will direct their communications and requests for assistance and operations directly to the Emergency Operations Center.
 
This Emergency Order issued this 25th day of September, 2020 and shall continue until rescinded by action of the Board, but shall be reviewed every seven (7) days.