Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Commissioners lift burn ban resolution

Staff report

Recent rains — and the expectation of more moisture in the near future — prompted county commissioners to lift a burn ban resolution adopted on March 15, 2011.

The decision to not act on a renewal of the burn ban took place during a county commission meeting Tuesday morning at the Clovis-Carver Library’s north annex.

County Manager Lance Pyle said that since the commission took no action on the resolution, the burn ban will expire Saturday.

The burn ban resolution states that If it is not renewed, then it is automatically terminated.

“We just decided not to keep it, for the time being, because we’ve had enough rain,” said Commissioner Ben McDaniel. “Of course, we can renew it at any time.”

Commissioner Frank Blackburn said should a lack of a burn ban cause a problem, it can always be reinstated.

For the time being, he said the burn ban lift will help those who need to burn unwanted vegetation.

Blackburn, who is also a farmer, said burning is “the only way to dispose of (dead trees) in rural areas.

“It’s very safe (to burn) right now,” Blackburn said.

All open fires in the unincorporated areas of Curry County were banned under the burn ban, with the following exceptions:

• Landowners who need to burn off crop stubbles or other vegetation could do so after contacting their local fire department and providing the location of the proposed burn. Landowners were encouraged to not burn on windy days or under other conditions that might cause the fire to spread;

• Residents who have an incinerator approved by the New Mexico Environmental Department could burn trash when the wind blew less than 15 mph.

 
 
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