Due to continuing extreme dry conditions, the Murray Fire Department has issued a burn ban covering the entire city limits. Meanwhile, Paris Fire Marshal Greg Andrews said Paris also is considering a burn ban.
“We are looking at it, but we’re taking the burn permit requests on a case-by-case basis,” Andrews said. “Things may change in the next couple days if we don’t get some relief. We’re not ruling out issuing a burn ban.”
Burn permits are required year-round in the Paris city limits and once a request for a burn permit is received at the Paris Fire Department, firefighters go to the spot where the request is being made before approving it, Andrews said. “We check out where they’ll be burning to make sure it’s safe, every time,” Andrews said.
Several Middle Tennessee fire departments have issued burn bans, too, including the Dickson Fire Department, which Wednesday issued a ban on all outdoor burning within the city limits effective immediately due to dry conditions.
Fire Marshal Robby Street said the lack of rainfall and unseasonably high temperatures have created hazardous conditions for outdoor burning.
The ban applies to any outdoor fires, including the burning of leaves, brush, debris, trash, campfires, bonfires and even screened barrels.
The Dickson Fire Department ban applies to burning inside the city limits. Other Middle Tennessee areas such as Murfreesboro, Smyrna, LaVergne, Spring Hill, Hendersonville and Rutherford County issued burning bans this week. The Tennessee Division of Forestry regulates burning outside of municipalities and information on current conditions and permit requirements can be found at burnsafetn.org.
The National Weather Service says hot temperatures will continue Wednesday with most areas remaining dry. Isolated showers are possible on the Cumberland Plateau. Slightly cooler and dry weather is expected the rest of the week and through the weekend.
“Fire danger will continue to increase as abnormally dry conditions remain in place for the foreseeable future,” NWS says at forecast.weather.gov.
Menu
