Multiple counties lift burn bans

STEUBEN COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) Noble County Commissioners lifted the burn ban for Noble County on Wednesday. The majority of the Noble County Fire Chiefs agreed that conditions have improved but extreme caution still be used when engaging in any kind of open burning.

The city of Kendallville is still under an emergency burn ban.

Whitley County also lifted the burn ban on Wednesday. The Whitley County Fire Chiefs Association recommended the lift to the County Commissioners as the rain as improved conditions. The fire chiefs state the conditions are not ideal for burning as there is much dry vegetation and urge residents to be responsible around any fire they may start.

Blackford County also lifted the burn ban on Wednesday.

Steuben County Commissioners lifted the county-wide burn ban on Tuesday.

The release stated that "[w[ith the recent rainfall, vegetation around the county is returning to its green state"

Residents are still urged to be careful and take extra precautions if they do burn, such as:

• Having a water source nearby
• Never leave a fire unattended
• Make sure the fire is fully extinguished
• Burn only in favorable weather conditions
• Burn only during daylight hours

Steuben is still under drought conditions and it is possible that there is dead vegetation that is highly flammable. The county will reevaluate the conditions on a daily basis and if high temperatures and little to no rain reoccurs, the Emergency burn ban will be reinstated.

The village of Payne and the townships of Benton and Harrison in Ohio also lifted burn ban on Tuesday. 

On Monday, Dekalb county also lifted the burn ban , effective for one week.

On Thursday, July 19, Wells County lifted their county.

In Allen County, Fort Wayne Fire Department representatives are scheduled to meet Tuesday afternoon to decide what recommendation they will pass on to county commissioners with regards to the burn ban. NewChannel 15 will have the details as they become available.