Despite a small amount of rainfall on Valentines Day, McClain County Commissioners reinstated the county-wide burn ban in their regular weekly meeting Tuesday at the courthouse.

The meeting was held on Tuesday instead of Monday due to the President’s Day holiday.

The ban will be in effect for 14 days unless lifted by the commissioners or extended.

Cleveland County Commissioners passed the same measure Tuesday in Norman, hence both counties are under the bans.

There was a fire weather watch for much of Oklahoma including Central Oklahoma from 10 a.m. Wednesday until 8 p.m. Wednesday.

A case in point was a huge grass fire at 20767 Johnson Road last Thursday, February 12, where several homes were in grave danger.

Heroic work by firefighters from Purcell, Goldsby and Washington limited the damage to structures to one metal building that sustained minor damage to sheet metal and one house that sustained minor damage to siding and the back porch.

When Purcell Firefighters arrived on scene just after 1:30 p.m. heavy fire surrounded two houses and two barns. Fire was also found coming from three large brush piles.

Extreme fire danger currently exists due to dry foliage, low humidity and high winds. Wind speeds in Western Oklahoma are anticipated to reach 45-50 mph.

Under the ban, it is unlawful for any person to set fire to any forest, grass, range, crop or other wild lands or to build a campfire or bonfire or to burn trash or other material that may cause a wild fire.

Exceptions include equipment related to road construction projects like equipment that uses propane or other controlled-type burners. But commissioners said in their proclamation it would be prudent to have a water pumper on standby any time the equipment is used near a grassy right of way.

Welding is allowed when conducted over a noncombustible surface of at least 10 feet by 10 feet. A fire watcher other than the welder is also required.

Outdoor campfires or bonfires are forbidden. However LPG and natural gas grills and charcoal-fired cooking outside in a grilling receptacle are permitted provided the activity is conducted over a nonflammable surface and at least five feet from flammable vegetation.

Gas vents and flares associated with the extraction of oil and gas are exempt as long as the top of the vent pipe is raised well above the surrounding vegetation.

Fire training exercises within confines of refinery boundaries shall be exempt.