LOWNDES Co. – Lowndes County Emergency Management officials have released the following statement concerning a ban on burning this weekend:

The lack of recent rainfall in Lowndes County has our area categorized as being in drought conditions. This causes all of the vegetation and other combustibles materials to become extremely dry and coupled with other atmospheric conditions that affect fire risk, Lowndes County’s fire risk is unusually high right now.

While the Lowndes County burn ordinance usually allows for burning on the first and 3rd Saturdays of each month when a burn permit is obtained, GA Forestry has indicated that conditions are unsafe for outdoor burning and no burn permits will be issued this weekend.

This means that anyone who starts a fire of any kind will be in violation of the burn ordinance and subject to the penalties enforced for such violation. While we realize this may be an inconvenience for those that have been waiting for the opportunity to properly burn their vegetative debris, the risks to property and health of the entire community has to outweigh the inconvenience.

We are urging everyone to respect not only the ordinance but also the interests of your fellow residents by not burning until such time as it is deemed to be safe to do so.

For more information on obtaining burn permits or the current fire danger you may call GA Forestry at 1 877 ok2 burn (652-2876) or visit their website at gfc.state.ga.us.