Fire Threat Leaves more than Half of Oklahoma Under Burn Ban

Article

More than half of Oklahoma is now under a burn ban because of the threat of wildfires.

Gov. Mary Fallin on Tuesday issued burn bans until Feb. 16 for 40 of the state’s 77 counties, including those in the Oklahoma Panhandle and all counties west of Kay County on the Kansas border to Love County on the state’s border with Texas.

County-issued burn bans are also in effect in Atoka, Coal, Johnston, Pittsburg and Sequoyah counties in southeastern and eastern Oklahoma.

The ban include campfires, bonfires, setting fire to any forest, grass, woods, wildlands or marshes, fireworks and burning trash outdoors.

LPG and natural gas grills, and charcoal-fired cooking outside in a grilling receptacle, are permitted, provided it’s over a non-flammable surface and at least 5 feet from flammable vegetation.