At the request of the Director of Fire, EMS, and Emergency Management Brian Lichty, I am exercising the authority delegated to me by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to Chapter 93, Article I, Section 93.3 to impose a prohibition on outdoor burning within the County of Clarke, to include without limitation, training fires, campfires, warming fires, brush piles, household trash, stumps, fields, or any other material capable of spreading fire. The sole exception to this ban is the use of grills or stoves designed and used for preparing food and which contain fuel and fire within a metal or masonary container.
This ban shall be effective immediately, and shall continue in effect until such time as conditions warrant the repeal of the ban by either the County Administrator or the Board of Supervisors.
Violation of the ban authorized by Chapter 93, Article I, 93.3 of the County Code shall be considered a Class I misdemeanor and penalties imposed for violation of this ordinance shall be in addition to those imposed for violation of other state or local ordinances.
Individuals who have conducted outdoor burning activities within the last two weeks are asked to check the burn locations to verify that the fires are completely out. Extremely low humidity and predicted high winds greatly increase the potential of a rekindle of previous fires.
Individuals having questions regarding this matter should contact the County Administrator at (540) 955-5113.