Ohio's annual daytime open burning ban is now in force, with the Geauga County Maple Leaf reporting the seasonal restriction took effect Thursday and lasts through Nov. 30.
State fire law blocks outdoor burning between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. throughout October and November, the paper reported. Yard waste, brush, leaves and similar debris fall under the rule, and it also reaches trash and debris placed in a proper burn barrel, according to the report.
Citing the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the paper said open burning means any outdoor fire that does not vent to a chimney or stack. Such activity is barred in unincorporated areas and continues regardless of weather, the report stated, noting officials link elevated fire danger to dry conditions, low humidity and breezy daytime weather.
Per the report, exceptions may exist between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. depending on the burn type and local regulations, and Ohio EPA rules apply at all hours. The paper also said fires must be more than 1,000 feet from a neighbor's occupied building, are prohibited during air pollution alerts, warnings or emergencies and inside village or city limits, and that food waste, dead animals and items containing rubber, grease, asphalt or petroleum may never be burned.
The paper said the Ohio Farm Bureau posted tips on Facebook, and that ODNR notes people can be held liable for fire damage they cause. Fire officials recommend burning only clean, dry wood during legal hours, keeping fires small, never leaving them unattended, having a way to extinguish them and checking with the local fire department about extra restrictions.