Drought 2012: Burn Ban in Effect in Johnson County

Extremely dry conditions have led to a ban on open burning in Johnson County.

The state fire marshal issued the ban today. Dan Smith, representing local fire departments with territory in Johnson County, made the request of the state fire marshal, according to a press release from the Iowa Department of Public Safety.

The fire marshal, Raymond Reynolds, finds conditions in Johnson County such that open burning would be a danger to life or property, according to document. 

The ban will be in effect until Smith notifies the state fire marshal of an intent to lift the ban, when weather conditions permit.

Fire chiefs have the discretion to issue permits to burn during the ban. Violation of the ban is a simple misdemeanor.

Cedar Falls Patch has reported about a . An official there called this the worst drought in decades.

Twenty-one Eastern Iowa counties, including Linn County, are also under burn bans, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety, State Fire Marshal Division.

Several parts of the country have declared state of emergency and have been designated disaster areas due to drought conditions.