Bloomington/Normal Fire Departments— Recent rainfall has lowered the threat of dry vegetation fires in the Twin Cities to the level where Bloomington and Normal will lift their ban on outdoor recreational fires today. The fire danger ratings for Central Illinois are considered to be low due to the recent rainfall amounts in the area. The decision was based on higher soil moisture and increased humidity levels, plus higher dew points and cooler temperatures in the evenings. Based on this information, the Burning Ban restricting outdoor recreational fire use in Bloomington and Normal will be lifted effective at noon on Friday, August 17, 2012.
The Bloomington and Normal Fire Departments remind everyone that even with these restrictions being lifted, citizens still need to use standard fire safety practices and ensure they fully extinguishing fires when completed. Ordinances still prohibit the burning of landscaping material, trash, or large bonfires. To ensure compliance, citizens should follow the local City of Bloomington and Town of Normal ordinances and guidelines concerning outdoor recreational fires.
These can be found at:
City of Bloomington
Town of Normal
Press Release