WINDSOR, Ohio — Despite Ohio's burn ban having been lifted at the end of May, the Windsor Fire Department is warning residents that open burns in the area still aren't permitted due to EPA rules. As a result, all fires that are found or reported will be extinguished.
"There is no open burning allowed right now regardless of the burn ban being lifted," the fire department wrote on its Facebook page. "We have extinguished another fire today. There are EPA rules that currently prohibit open burns and we will extinguish any fires we are notified of or find. If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Fire Department. 440-536-6216."
The Fire Department's post comes two days after departments from three different counties battled a large brush fire near the Ashtabula County-Geauga County border. The Windsor Fire Department announced that crews finished extinguishing the fire at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, after first responding at 3 p.m. on Friday.
It is not clear how the fire located at the 4300 block of U.S. Route 322 in Windsor Township started. The fire resulted in roughly 50 acres in the area burning.
The fire occurred as the region has gone about two weeks without any rain, with scorching hot temperatures leading to drought-like conditions. There were also no hydrants near the burn, meaning crews were forced to use water from a nearby pond.
"A brush fire will rapidly become something more," Windsor Assistant Fire Chief Callie Mallory warned, noting buildings could be at risk. "There's a lot of high wind that's driving it, so you have to worry about the safety if you're a fireman, at that point."
Ohio law prohibits outdoor open burning statewide in unincorporated areas during the months of March, April, May, October, and November between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. EPA regulations, however, allow local governments and fire departments to establish local burn rules regardless of the month.