County burn ban reinstated

By Miles Smith
LPR Editor

At the recommendation of Caldwell County Office of Emergency Management Chief Martin Ritchey, commissioners on Tuesday voted to reinstate the burn ban, which had been off for several months.
“Vegetation has deteriorated and the occurrence of brush fires has picked up,” Ritchey noted.
The conditions were effective immediately as of Tuesday morning. It disallows all outdoor burning in unincorporated areas of Caldwell County.
The office reminded people to exercise caution while mowing, using trailer chains and welding, noting that those can be major causes of wildfires.
Ritchey said the burn ban did not necessarily point to aerial fireworks being prohibited during the July 4 holiday, however.
Commissioners are expected to vote on that during a June meeting closer to the holiday, he said.