Buena Vista County is the most recent addition to the list of Iowa counties under a burn ban. The State Fire Marshal’s Office issued the ban effective at noon today (Monday) at the request of Buena Vista County Emergency Management Coordinator, Aimee Barritt. Three other counties remain on the burn ban list. Crawford and Wapello Counties were added late last week and Plymouth County joined them on Saturday. Despite the recent rains, the unusually dry summer has many counties in Iowa close to joining the list. While under a ban, open burning is prohibited within the unincorporated regions of the county. Outdoor fireplaces, barbecue grills, properly supervised landfill burns and controlled burns where the acting fire chief has issued a permit are still allowed but are discouraged. The restrictions will remain in effect until rescinded by the counties. Violations of the order are considered a simple misdemeanor.
