Revised Burn Ban Provides Exception to Irrigation Districts

NEBRASKA, May 2 - CONTACT:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

 

Revised Burn Ban Provides Exception to Irrigation Districts

 

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen has revised a burn ban to allow fire chiefs discretion in granting burn permits to irrigation districts so that they can continue to clear vegetation from ditches. Other than that exception, burning remains off limits in central and western Nebraska until midnight on May 10.

Under the requirements of the new executive order, burning is only permitted:

• Within the boundaries of a surface water irrigation canal owned, titled to or operated by an irrigation district, and

• The permitted burn must be supervised on-site by the permitting authority

Burning is still prohibited across a wide swath of the state to help mitigate risks associated with potential grassland fires. The border runs south along U.S. Highway 81 from the South Dakota border to Highway 92. The line then goes west to U.S. Highway 281 and runs south to the Kansas border.

Under no circumstances are burns to be authorized when the National Weather Service (NWS) issues a red flag warning.

A map, as well as the executive order, is included with this release.