MARSHALL COUNTY, Ind. -- On Wednesday, the Marshall County Commissioners acted on the recommendation of the Emergency Management Agency and issued a burn ban for the county, effective immediately.

Across the state, there are currently 13 counties with burn bans issued, including La Porte, Fulton and Pulaski.

St. Joseph and Starke Counties have both recently had burn bans lifted.

Marshall County Burn Ban:

The Marshall County Commissioners, with recommendations from the Emergency Management Agency and local fire departments, have issued a “Burn Ban” for Marshall County effective immediately.

Due to prolonged dry conditions, there is an elevated risk for fires to spread quickly and become out of control. Marshall County has already experienced a few grass fires recently, and the threat is expected to elevate in the coming days and weeks.

The order declares that, effective immediately, the following activities are prohibited in Marshall County:

1. Open burning of any kind using conventional fuel such as wood, or other combustible material, with the exception of grills fueled by charcoal briquettes or propane (charcoal from permitted grill shall not be removed from the grills until the charcoal has been thoroughly extinguished);

2. The burning of debris, such as timber or vegetation, including such debris that results from building construction activities.

Small campfires and fireworks, however, are permitted according to the Marshall County Commissioners. Only larger fires such as recreational bonfires, or the burning of wooded debris and/or waste are prohibited by this ordinance.

To report a violation of the burn ban, please contact the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department.

If conditions improve due to significant rainfall, the Marshall County Commissioners will rescind the burn ban and again permit the above activities.

A statewide map of counties that have issued burn bans is available at in.gov/dhs/burnban. This map will be updated once Marshall County has returned to a normal burning status.

Further updates will also be posted to the Marshall County App, the Marshall County EMA Facebook page, and will be sent to local media.