DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY – BURN BAN
WHEREAS, the Borough of Chambersburg is desirous of providing for the health, safety and welfare of its residents; and
WHEREAS, because of drier than normal temperatures, with no significant rainfall being forecast; and
WHEREAS, due to below normal rainfall over the past several months throughout the Borough of Chambersburg; and
WHEREAS, the Emergency Services Chief’s Office of the Borough of Chambersburg has expressed concern that a fire potential poses a serious and imminent threat to the life and property within the Borough of Chambersburg; and
WHEREAS, emergency measures are required to reduce the severity of this danger in order to protect the health, safety, welfare and property of the residents of the Borough of Chambersburg; and
WHEREAS, the Borough of Chambersburg Code of Ordinance Chapter 150 Fire Prevention prohibits open burning; exceptions allowed in sub section F-301.2 and F- 301.3.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, the undersigned Mayor of the Borough of Chambersburg pursuant to the provisions of Section 7501 of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Services Code, (35 PA C.S., Section 7501), as amended, do hereby declare the existence of an emergency in the Borough of Chambersburg and declare a burn ban to be in effect.
This declaration enforces to not allow any fires including recreational fires, highway safety flares, smudge pots, and fires on tracts of land of not less than 10 acres that are in agricultural or cemetery use. The use of Propane or Charcoal grills would not be covered under this declaration as long as they are used in accordance to manufactures specifications.
Enforcement of this ban shall be the responsibility of any sworn police officer, in accordance with the provisions of Code of Ordinance Chapter 150 and Act 1995-52. Specifically, any sworn police officer when available, including the Pennsylvania State Police, shall be responsible for enforcing the provisions of this act. Also, whenever a violation of this act occurs in a city, borough, incorporated town or township which has in effect an ordinance prohibiting open burning, the police officer may site the violation under either the municipal ordinance or this resolution. Under no circumstances shall any person be cited for violations of both this resolution and the municipal ordinance for the same violation.
FURTHER, I direct the Borough of Chambersburg’s Emergency Management Coordinator and Emergency Services Chief’s Office to coordinate the activities of any emergency response, to take all appropriate action needed to alleviate the effects of this emergency, and to take any other emergency response action deemed necessary to respond to this emergency.
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This Declaration shall take effect Wednesday June 26, 2024 Monday, July 22, 2024; at which time Town Council of the Borough of Chambersburg may by resolution extend this burn ban emergency.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and have caused the Seal of the Borough of Chambersburg to be affixed this 26th day of June, 2024.
Ko C. Hool Kenneth Hock, Mayor
