Central Illinois Eases Burn Bans Following Weekend Rainfall: What Residents Need to Know

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CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Following a welcome downpour over the weekend, several Emergency Management Agencies and fire officials in Central Illinois have decided to lift previously imposed burn bans.

The Iroquois County Emergency Management Agency announced on October 19th that it had ended the ban due to “significant rainfall” that decreased the chance of quickly spreading fires. They advise residents to never leave fires unattended and to ensure they can extinguish them promptly if necessary.

The Eastern Illinois Fire Chief’s Association, alongside the Iroquois County Board, Chairman Paul Ducat, and the Iroquois County EMA, expressed their gratitude in a news release, thanking the community for adhering to the restrictions during the ban.

Meanwhile, the Moultrie County EMA also informed locals on Saturday afternoon that their burn ban has been lifted.

“With the rain we’re experiencing today, we’re lifting the burn ban. We’ll continue to monitor the situation, but this is a positive step forward. We realize the ban has disrupted many plans, and we appreciate your understanding. Please exercise caution with any open burning once the weather clears,” the agency shared in a Facebook post.

In Champaign County, several fire departments announced that their burn bans were lifted. This included:

Sidney Fire Protection District
Homer Fire Protection District
Gifford Fire and Rescue
St. Joseph-Stanton Fire Protection District

Officials continue to encourage caution and ask that anyone who chooses to burn anything check the wind beforehand, keep a water source nearby and never leave the fire unattended.

In Piatt County, both the Cisco Fire Protection District and the Mid-Piatt Fire Protection District lifted their burn bans.

Cisco Fire officials said the ban that was put in place in September was lifted after the weekend rainfall. But — community members are still asked to practice caution.

“Please keep in mind that we are still drier than normal so please use caution when burning,” the fire protection district wrote in a post on Facebook.

Findlay Fire and Ambulance District, located in Shelby County, also lifted its burn ban on Sunday. Community members are still asked to be cautious when burning anything.