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Baxter County Judge Kevin Litty signed an order Tuesday banning all outdoor burning in the county’s unincorporated areas.
Court Order No. 2026-97 cites current weather and continued drying conditions, and finds that an emergency exists in the unincorporated parts of the county. The ban was issued under Baxter County Code 360.02 and stays in place until conditions change and the court lifts it.
The Baxter County Sheriff’s Department will enforce the order.
Outdoor burning may still be allowed under special circumstances, but only with a written permit. The order requires that permit to come from the county judge and the fire chief of the appropriate fire protection district, or from the governing body or its designee, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Arkansas State Parks, the state Forestry Division or the U.S. Forest Service.
Violating the ban is a misdemeanor. A district judge may set a fine of up to $500 for a first offense and up to $1,000 for each offense after that.
The order was filed with the Baxter County Circuit Clerk’s office Tuesday morning.
