Eight more counties, including Allen, issue burn ban; 19 Indiana counties affected

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) Allen County issued a burn ban on Friday for the entire county, including Fort Wayne and all other townships and municipalities. 

The ban includes any kind of open burning including trash, leaf, refuse, fire pits, and the improper disposal of any kind of un-extinguished smoking materials. It also prohibits bonfires and recreational camp fires.

List of burn bans in Indiana

Violators may face fines or, if the fire spreads to the property of another person, charges of criminal mischief.

The ban will remain in effect for at least seven days.

According to the Fort Wayne Fire Department, there is no ban on fireworks but they reminds citizens that the use of fireworks is already restricted year-round. Fireworks can be used from June 29 until July 3 and from July 5 until July 9 during the hours of 5 p.m. until two hours after sunset. On the 4th of July, fireworks may be used from 10 a.m. until midnight.

The FWFD will continue to monitor the conditions and evaluate the need for further restrictions.

Elkhart County also issued a burn ban on Friday. It will remain in effect until June 22. The ban includes campfires, unless enclosed; open burning of any kind except for grills fueled by charcoal briquettes or propane; open burning of debris, timber, and vegetation. Residents are encouraged to avoid using fireworks.

Kosciusko County issued a burn ban Friday. It will remain in effect until noon on June 22.    

Huntington County was the fourth county to issue a countywide burn ban. It will remain in effect until June 22. The ban includes, but is not limited to campfires, burning of trash and/or brush, and the use of fireworks

Fountain, LaPorte, Sullivan and Monroe Counties also issued burn bans on Friday.

Fulton, Grant, LaGrange, Marshall, Noble, St. Joseph, Steuben, Knox, Carroll, Vigo, and Wabash Counties are are all under burn bans . Rome City, Marion, Kendallville, Angola, Altona are also under city-wide burn bans.

For more information on the State of Indiana's burn bans, visit the Indiana Dept. of Homeland Security website.