Pierce County commissioners voted unanimously for a burn ban March 16 in a special meeting held in the Pierce County Courthouse.

Commissioners Terry Hoffert, Michael Christenson, Mike Brossart and Dave Migler voted to pass the ban on recommendations by the Rugby Volunteer Fire Department presented by Emergency Manager Kelsey Siegler.

The resolution to ban most burning in the county will expire April 6, when the commissioners hold their next regular meeting.

The text of the resolution said the ban includes “the use of fireworks, recreational burning, garbage/pit burning, burning of farmland, cropland and/or ditches and the use of fire to demolish structures; however, this does not ban the use of grills or commercially sold enclosed fire pits but it is required that grills or enclosed fire devices be on a hard, non-organic surface and be a minimum of 15 feet away from any dry vegetation.”

One example of a “hard, non-organic surface” would be concrete, according to information Siegler shared with the commissioners.

“We are really dry and we’re still in the ‘low’ (fire risk category),” Siegler explained. “But if somebody does burn, even though we’re low, we’re still that dry, that it’s going to go,” she added, describing fire danger in windy conditions.

“Especially the way conditions will be in the next few days. It’s going to be dry and temperatures are supposed to be up in the 50s, maybe the 60s this weekend,” Commission Chair Dave Migler said.

The text of the ban resolution said, “Any individual who willfully violates this burn ban by local order … is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. The maximum penalties for a Class B misdemeanor are up to 30 days in jail and up to a $1,500 fine.