Authorities catch burn ban violators

The following was submitted by KFOR on KFOR.com on Thursday, August 11th.

Authorities in Logan County are investigating several cases of people intentionally violating the burn ban. The violations range from people throwing cigarettes out windows to one couple who have been caught more than once burning during a drought.

“I think it’s wrong,” Logan County resident Richard Countess said. “When the meteorologists say don’t burn, you know? Don’t burn at all.”

Despite what anyone says, including the Governor, authorities in Logan County say they’re still catching and prosecuting people who are ignoring the state’s burn ban.

One of the most recent cases happened east of Guthrie where a couple was caught burning trash.

“The sheriff’s department and the fire department reported out there and determined that they had in fact started a fire,” Logan County Assistant District Attorney Karen Dixon said. 

Richard Countess lives nearby where the fire started and could see the smoke from his house.

“Oh, it could have spread,” he said. “We were lucky that day that the wind was blowing from the south.”

The fire appeared to have started after someone began burning trash inside four trash cans and a dumpster.

Someone called for help, the local volunteer fire department showed up and police arrested Redmon Joyner on an outstanding warrant.

He is now also facing charges of unlawfully burning during a drought.

“I think one of the persons claimed not to have known that there was a burn ban, but whether there was a burn ban or not, everyone knows how dry it is and how dangerous it’s been,” Dixon said. “It’s very wreckless for anyone to be considering burning trash in an area where the Governor’s declared a burn ban.”

Nobody at the Joyner home would talk to us.

Just this week someone else was caught unlawfully burning trash for a third time on that property.

Authorities are looking into that case as well.

Guthrie News Update

Charges were filed Thursday in Logan County on Melvin Hayes Jr., 48, for burning in a drought emergency condition. The crime is punished as a misdemeanor.