LAWTON – Southwest Oklahoma’s ongoing drought has prompted the Board of Comanche County Commissioners to renew the county’s burn ban for another two weeks.
The board voted Oct. 29 to extend the ban until Nov. 12. Commissioners will revisit the issue that week to see if the ban should be renewed again.
The ban outlaws most outdoor fires, including trash fires, campfires and controlled burns. Some activities are exempt from the ban, as long as the person conducting them takes steps to prevent a grass fire from breaking out.
The ban will likely continue for several months, Emergency Management Director Clint Langford said in an email to a Southwest Ledger reporter.
“Unless we see significant rains, (we) probably won’t cancel burn ban until spring green up,” he said.
People who see someone conducting an illegal burn should contact local authorities immediately. Violations of the ban could be punished by potential fines of up to $500 per offense and up to a year in jail.