Published: January 21, 2009 07:35 am      

County adopts rules to declare burn ban

Within the last week, about nine fires have occurred in Woodward County.

With that figure in mind, Woodward County commissioners on Tuesday adopted procedures that will enable them to declare burn bans in the event of extreme fire danger.

In the past, burn bans have always been enforced by the governor, but the law now enables them to be decided on a more local level.

Emergency Management Director Matt Lehenbauer presented the procedures.

“We’re under a very high fire risk for the week,” Lehenbauer told commissioners. “We’re (classified as) abnormally dry, which is the stage before you can declare burn bans.”

Woodward County has received little rain fall during the last three months.

Lehenbauer said the city of Woodward had received only .89 inches of rain, while Buffalo had received about a quarter of an inch and Arnett had received almost .75 of an inch.

For a ban to be declared, Woodward County has to fall under the classification of moderate or extreme drought. The county is only a step away from the moderate category.

According to the procedures adopted by the commission, chiefs of municipal or rural fire departments in Woodward County, any county commissioner, or the emergency management director may ask the Emergency Operations Center to determine whether conditions warrant a poll of the county fire chiefs for a possible burn ban.

If it is determined that conditions exist, the EOC will notify each fire chief, who will vote either for or against the ban.

When a majority vote occurs, the EOC will notify the county commission and ask for an emergency meeting to consider a declaration of a period of extreme fire danger.

A signed declaration will be required and the burn ban will be in effect for seven days.

Any burn ban declared by the governor would override the county, Lehenbauer said.

In other business, county commissioners signed lease-purchase agreements for two new motor graders -- one for Highway District No. 3 and one for Highway District No. 1.

The John Deere motor graders cost $228,678 each and are six-wheel drive.

The commission also:

•Released funds in the amount of $3,300 to Northwest Domestic Crisis Services.

•Approved a grant for Quinlan Community Rural Water District No. 1 for extension of a water line.

•Approved the jail report.

•Approved a request from Sandridge Energy for utility permits to bore gas pipelines under county roads in District. No. 1.

•Approved allocation of the Alcoholic Beverage Tax for January in the amount of $12,614.

•Approved a resolution to dispose of equipment for the Sheriff’s Department by having it sold at the Statewide County Equipment Auction.

•Approved a resolution to sell a Galion 850B motor grader belonging to the county in District No. 1 at the auction.

•Approved a request to transfer funds within Highway District No. 1 into capital outlay.

•Approved a land-rights agreement with the Natural Resources Conservation Service for 2009 Woodward County EWP projects.