(Glenwood) Due to abnormally warm temperatures and several months of below normal precipitation, Mills County rural local jurisdictional areas are extremely dry.
Mills County Emergency Management says in the past few weeks, area fire departments in Mills County have responded to numerous grass and wildland type fires. This week, Emergency Management polled the local fire department Chiefs of Mills County after several Departments inquired as to a burn ban in the County. All departments were in agreement to a ban with the exception of Malvern Fire and Hastings Fire Departments.
Upon investigation, the State Fire Marshal found that conditions in Mills County were such that open burning constitutes a danger to life or property. The ban was approved Friday by the State Fire Marshall in Des Moines for Mills County excluding the Fire Districts of Malvern and Hastings Fire Departments.
Effective at 4:00 p.m. today (December 27th) all open burning will be banned within Mills County, except for the two Fire Departments indicated, until further notice. An application to your local fire district chief can be obtained to allow a permit for an open burn if your local Fire Official believes it is safe to do so. After approval of the permit, several county entities are informed to lessen the danger of false alarms.
If adequate moisture is received, a revocation of the ban will be considered by Mills County Fire Officials.