Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Burn Ban Lifted In City, County

Clark County Judge Grady Runyan has lifted the county's burn ban for now.

Runyan lifted the ban Tuesday, Feb. 27 while the area was being drenched with heavy rains. In addition, there is no burn ban in Arkadelphia.

"I had some reservations about doing it (lifting the burn ban)," he said.

The problem has been dry conditions, low humidity and high winds. These conditions help make it easier for fires to get out of control and establish hazardous situations.

Runyan said the ban may be yo-yo'd, being placed on and taken off depending on the weather.

This week, he said, it's supposed to rain, so the ban will remain lifted while the ground is wet.

However, when the winds pick up, the humidity drops and the temperatures climb again, the ban will be reinstated.

Another part of the reason the ban was lifted was to give area residents a chance to burn some of their leaves and yard waste.

Runyan said there is no reason for people to burn trash as the city's and county have a pickup service.

He said anyone thinking about burning anything should call his office or the Clark County Sheriff's Office.

"If they call, we can discuss it," he said. "We need a good soaking rain. I urge caution for those who burn, but the humidity has been rising and rain is expected.

"The surface soil is damp enough to bring up seeds and grass, but it won't last if we don't get some rain soon."

In addition, the burn ban has been lifted in Gurdon.

Mayor Rick Smith said the conditions currently permit burning because there is more humidity and it's wetter.

"I'm hoping we can do something in a formal way to bring it to people's attention when there's a ban on," he said. "We need to have a penalty on it (burning during a ban)."

Smith said people are still urged not to burn trash inside the city. "We have garbage pickup with good service," he said. "There's no need for people to burn garbage."

The mayor said he is working to have an ordinance ready for the city council to study by Monday night in time for the council's regular monthly meeting.

However, he said, if conditions change, the ban will be reinstated.