Executive Order
Local Disaster Emergency Declaration
and Burn Ban
for Hancock County Indiana
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of Hancock County, Indiana find that the County is in a prolonged period of drought as noted by current US Drought Monitor maps; and
WHEREAS, the effect of the lack of rainfall, combined with high temperatures and wind, which has dried vegetation to the point it may easily combust and has thus become a fire hazard; and
WHEREAS, Hancock County, still a primarily agrarian county, has extensive economic exposure due to standing crops; and
WHEREAS, due to the lack of rainfall, the fire chiefs of Hancock County, find that a burn ban is a highly appropriate public safety response to the hazards presented by the current drought conditions.
NOW THEREFORE, the Board of Commissioners of Hancock County, Indiana, declares pursuant to Indiana Code 10-14-3-29 et. Seq., that a state of emergency exists in Hancock County, Indiana, and that we hereby invoke and declare those portions of Indiana Code which are applicable to the conditions and cause the issuance of this order to be in full force and effect in Hancock County, Indiana, for the full exercise of all necessary authority for the protection of the lives and property of the people of Hancock County, Indiana.
NOW THEREFORE, the Board of Commissioners of Hancock County, Indiana, also declares that effective immediately, the following activities are prohibited in Hancock County, Indiana: 1. Campfires and other recreational fires: 2. The use of burn barrels for any open burning at residential structures: 3. The burning of debris, such as timber or vegetation, including such debris that results from building construction activities; and 4. Open Burning of any kind using conventional fuel such as wood or any other combustible material, with the exception of grills fueled by charcoal briquettes or propane that are enclosed in a grill container with a lid.
This Executive Order issued on this 17th day of September 2024, shall continue until rescinded by the Board, but shall be reviewed at regularly scheduled meetings of the Board of Commissioners, with the next review on the 1st day of October, 2024.
