Burn Ban In Effect, Drought Persists

The Ohio State Fire Marshal has issued a burn ban in the following counties – Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Fairfield, Fayette, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Jefferson, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Tuscarawas, Vinton and Washington. Examples of outdoor activities prohibited by this order in the ban area include the following:

• lighting or maintaining a fire of any type at any location
• smoking (including cigarettes or similar devices, and as part of a cooking process)
• non-electric cooking (regardless of fuel source)
• using or discharging any type of fireworks
• throwing down/discarding lighted or smoldering material (including matches or cigarettes)
• campfires
• bonfires
• live fire training events
• flame effect(s) based displays or exhibitions (including sky lanterns and cold spark machines)
• using spark causing devices for recreational purposes

For more info on the burn ban, please go to the ODNR website.

Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge visited local farmers in Monroe County Wednesday.

“Right now, we’re dealing with issues of livestock and folks that are feeding cattle,” Baldridge told WTOV News. “Whether it’s a dairy, beef operation, feeding those cattle on a daily basis our pastures are dried up.”

Many farmers have already started feeding hay which is months early. There is also a limited supply of hay for sale. The drought has affected the crop yield which is 20-30% of normal. Some farmers are hauling water and others are dealing with deer and other animals eating crops due to the lack of rain.

Farmers affected by severe drought conditions are now eligible for emergency loan assistance through the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). This assistance comes under a Secretarial natural disaster designation, providing crucial financial support to those impacted by drought-related losses.

Farmers in the designated primary and contiguous counties must apply for these loans by April 28, 2025. The eligible areas in Ohio include Athens, Belmont, Guernsey, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, and other counties. In West Virginia, farmers in Brooke, Cabell, Hancock, Marshall, and other listed counties are also eligible.

These counties were hit by severe drought conditions, as classified by the U.S. Drought Monitor, with some experiencing D2 (Severe Drought) for eight or more consecutive weeks or D3 (Extreme Drought) and D4 (Exceptional Drought) levels.

For more information or to apply, farmers can visit farmers.gov, use the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, or contact their local USDA Service Center to file a Notice of Loss or inquire about available programs.

The emergency loans can be used for various recovery needs, including replacing essential equipment or livestock, reorganizing farming operations, or refinancing certain debts. The FSA will evaluate loan applications based on the extent of losses, available security, and the applicant’s repayment ability.