Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy early Friday signed a local declaration of disaster that includes an order prohibiting outdoor burning in the unincorporated areas of the county due to the dry weather conditions and the threat of wildfire.
“Polk County has not had significant rainfall for an extended period and weather forecasters offer little promise of a change in the dry conditions in the near future and these dry conditions pose the threat of large, dangerous and fast-moving wildfires and such fires have the potential of endangering the lives and damaging property to a large scale,” Murphy said.
The disaster declaration will continue until rescinded in accordance with statute and order but will not continue for more than seven days without authorization by the Polk County Commissioners Court.
The purpose of the order is the mitigation of the hazard posed by wildfires by curtailing the practice of outdoor burning.
To see the order, go to polkcountyoem.com.
