Updated List: Burn Bans in the Ozarks

SOUTHWEST MISSOURI -- Hot, dry conditions across the region are resulting in a growing list of cities, counties and other areas (in bold) issuing bans on open burning and/or fireworks.

Tuesday, Webster County Commissioners joined the growing list of government agencies asking residents not to do any open burning until drought conditions improve.  The Webster County Emergency Management agency issued the following statement: "the Webster County Commission is requesting no open burning throughout the county until significant rainfall occurs.   Local jurisdictions may have additional restrictions in place. Citizens are urged to check with their local agencies for more information."

Also Tuesday, Polk County issued a burn ban, following the Dent County Commission's announcement Monday that it had adopted a county-wide burn ban.

Residing Commissioner Darrell Skiles says there have been numerous fires throughout the county. None of them has been too serious, but county leaders are worried of future fires due to the dry conditions.

Monday, the Village of Halfway imposed a fireworks ban due to the extremely dry conditions. 

Last Friday, city leaders in Forsyth announced an "all-out" ban on the use of fireworks.

"Current use of fireworks within the City of Forsyth are allowed only on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of July with no discharge after 10 p.m." reads a news release from the City. Violators could be charged with a misdemeanor.

The Missouri Department of Conservation also issued a fire ban on all conservation areas. It includes prohibiting campfires and other open fires, including charcoal grills. The fire ban does permit the use of contained camp stoves and charcoal cooking fires in concrete or metal fire rings. The use of firewood in cooking fires is prohibited under the fire ban.

"The fire ban is an effort to prevent wildfires under these extreme dry conditions," said MDC Wildland Fire Supervisor Ben Watson. "The fire ban on all conservation areas will stay in effect until weather conditions change and we get significant rain."

Watson says above ground grilling leads to bad behavior.

"The thinking behind that is that when people are burning charcoal in their Webber grill, when it's time to go home, they usually take those hot coals and dump them on the ground."

The City of Marshfield and the Marshfield Fire Protection District have also issued burn bans. Fire Chief Michael Taylor says this includes open burning, fireworks are still allowed at this time.

The Marshfield Fire Protection District is also requesting that farm equipment, especially mowing equipment be used with caution due to the possibility of grass fires related to their usage.

Last Thursday, city officials in Fair Grove held a news conference to talk about an executive order banning burning.

"This ban is due to very low humidity levels, high temperatures, and below normal precipitation," said Mayor Tim Smith in a statement. "This burn ban is needed to protect real and personal property, including the possibility of loss of life."

The burn ban inside the city limits includes any and all open burning, and includes a complete ban on the discharge of all fireworks within the city limits.

Also Thursday, the Ozark Fire Protection District issued a burn ban, but fireworks displays are not banned.

Later in the day Thursday, the City of Ash Grove announced a burn ban until further notice, and a limit on the use of fireworks. The city says, "by ordinance, it is unlawful for any person to discharge fireworks within the City limit except on their own residential property."

Meanwhile, all outdoor burning activities are banned until further notice in Seymour, Niangua, Nixa, Rolla, and all of Phelps and Miller counties.

"This burning ban applies to all outdoor burning activities regardless of receptacle with the exception of the use of grills both charcoal and gas that are continually supervised and immediately extinguished after use," wrote Seymour Fire Chief Chief Shawn Crump in a news release Wednesday. "Please respect the environmental situation that we are currently in and adhere to this ban for everyone's safety including that of the emergency responders."

Chief Crump reminds residents it's also illegal to shoot off fireworks within the city limits of at any time of the year.

Niangua city leaders have also put a burn ban into place until it rains. Fireworks will still be set off on the 4th.

The Nixa Fire Protection District has also issued a burn ban for the Nixa area. Since no rain is forecast in the near future, it anticipates this ban will not be lifted before the July 4th holiday. Nixa city ordinances state that fireworks will not be permitted on July 4 if a burn ban is in effect.

While there is no ban in Texas County, the City of Cabool has canceled its fireworks display on the 4th.