It’s now a misdemeanor in Anchorage to violate a burn ban. That’s after the Meeting unanimously accepted an emergency ordinance Tuesday in opposition to open burning when it’s prohibited.
The Anchorage Hearth Division declared a burn ban on Friday — till additional discover. That ban prohibits all open fires together with yard fireplace pits.
The emergency ordinance makes it a category A misdemeanor to knowingly create an open burn when it’s prohibited, or to allow open burning with out contacting emergency companies. Penalties for a category A misdemeanor can embrace as much as a yr in jail and a superb of as much as $10,000. Earlier than the ordinance, the consequence for violating a burn ban was a civil penalty.
The emergency ordinance will final for 60 days. The Meeting anticipates voting on a extra everlasting model of the ordinance at its subsequent assembly on June 7.
The Nationwide Climate Service says fireplace hazard will remain high by way of the upcoming Memorial Day weekend in a lot of Southcentral Alaska, with heat and dry circumstances within the forecast.
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