Despite recent rain, a burn ban for Saline County is extended for another seven days.

By a 2-1 vote, county commissioners Tuesday morning voted to extend the ban which first went into effect back on March 18th.

Emergency Management Director Hannah Stambaugh told commissioners that while the recent rain is welcome, it hasn’t been enough to ease dangerously dry conditions. She said that as of Tuesday morning, in about the last week, anywhere from .69 to just over 2 inches of rain has fallen. The western part of the county is the driest.

Stambaugh said the wind is a major factor right now as well. She cited a couple of incidents from last week where the wind helped spread fires. In one incident, a fire started by a discarded cigarette burned about 300 acres near the Saline / Ottawa County line.

Commissioner John Price cast the lone dissenting vote, saying that if the wind conditions are favorable, farmers need the opportunity to burn. Commission Randy Duncan said that if conditions change, the commission could call a special meeting to rescind the ban.

The ban prohibits any and all open burning within the boundaries of Saline County by all citizens and visitors. Listed are some examples of items that cannot be burned for the duration of the burn ban:

• Burning of all fence rows, fields, wild lands, ravines, and debris
• Burning of any waste and normal household trash in a container
• Any open fire or campfire except in permanent household stoves or fireplaces or barbecue grills
• Careless use of smoking materials, including cigarettes, cigars and smoking pipes

Any violation of this order will constitute a Class A misdemeanor, pursuant to K.S.A 48-939, and any person convicted of such violation will be punished as provided by law.

If anyone has information of persons violating this resolution, contact the Salina – Saline County Dispatch Center at 785-826-7210 or the Emergency Management Office at 785-826-6511.