No burn

VAN WERT - Van Wert County could be looking at possible burning restrictions if rain does not arrive. Van Wert County Emergency Management Director Rick McCoy met with the county commissioners Tuesday morning to talk about the drought conditions which are worsening every day.
With the excessive heat, low humidity, gusty winds, and lack of adequate rainfall, city and county governments could be facing some tough decisions. McCoy went to mayors in the county last week to consider outlawing open fires until the drought is over. At least two villages -- Convoy and Willshire have already acted. But the commissioners were not ready to pull the trigger on such a ban county-wide, although all agreed that residents needed to be warned about the real potential for serious fire in these conditions.
Much of the county is running behind in rainfall for the spring from 5.5-6.5 inches. Similar conditions just across the state line in Indiana have caused 29 Hoosier counties to enact bans on open burning, including Adams and Allen counties. The City of Fort Wayne has even suggested that the Independence Day fireworks are in jeopardy of cancellation if soaking rains do not materialize.
In Van Wert County, conditions only seem to be getting worse, and forecasters at the National Weather Service are not providing much hope. That means the idea of a ban on open fires throughout the county could be an option.
"We need to start looking at long-term effects if conditions don’t change and discuss the possibility that a county-wide ban could be forthcoming," McCoy told the commissioners Tuesday morning.
He went on to say that without some really big, prolonged rains, the county is in real danger from a potential fire, especially with wheat harvest underway. Both the commissioners and McCoy agreed to meet weekly to take a fresh look at the situation and continue to monitor the dangers.
In the meantime, the commissioners wanted to emphasize to the public the seriousness of the drought and recommend precautions to take. They also wanted to make sure that if the area gets to the point that a burn ban is necessary, that the fire chiefs and township trustees were all on board with the decision.
Here are a few specific warnings for the drought conditions that local officials are stressing:
• Camp fires should not be left unattended, and it is recommended that it be enclosed in a fire ring and that some buckets of water are available to use should it begin to get out of control or to extinguish it when leaving the site.
• When burning household trash in the country, it should be enclosed in a fireplace structure, avoid burning during windy conditions, do not leave it unattended, and have water available if it begins to get out of control.
• The discarding of any smoking material that is not extinguished from a vehicle window or by throwing it on the ground can easily ignite a fire. Enclosed fireproof receptacles should be used.
• Farmers should check fire extinguishers in combines and farm equipment and confirm that they are fully operational in the event of an equipment fire as wheat is harvested.
• Be careful not to get overheated or dehydrated during the heat wave and pay particular attention to animals and pets as this weather can be particularly hard on them.