With no rain in the immediate forecast and increasingly dry vegetation enhancing the threat of wildfires, Garvin County is under a 14-day burn ban again.
The Garvin County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution issuing the ban on outdoor burning during their regular meeting Monday morning.
The burn ban resolution prohibits “setting fire to any forest, grass range, crop or other wild lands,” as well as outdoor burning, including campfires, bonfires and burning trash.
Gas grills and charcoal-fired cooking in a grill receptacle are permitted if the grill is on a non-flammable surface and at least five feet from flammable vegetation.
Penalties for violating the burn ban can include a fine of up to $500 and up to a year in jail.
As of press time Wednesday, Oklahoma Mesonet data showed it has been more than three weeks since measurement sites at Byars and Pauls Valley have recorded more than a tenth of an inch of rainfall, and the most recent report from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows Garvin County is experiencing extreme to severe drought conditions.
Garvin County is one of 21 counties across the state to have a burn ban in place currently.