Burn bans declared for Dalton, Whitfield County
Nov. 14—The city of Dalton and all of unincorporated Whitfield County are now under burn bans that will last at least 30 days.
The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 on Monday to approve the burn ban for the county. Commissioner Robby Staten was absent, and board Chairman Jevin Jensen typically votes only when there is a tie.
Whitfield County Fire Chief Edward O'Brien asked for the burn ban, citing dry conditions.
"We looked up some statistics," he said. "Forty-nine percent of (Whitfield) County is in extreme drought, and 51% is in exceptional drought, which is the worst possible."
According to the National Weather service, exceptional drought occurs when there is "exceptional and widespread crop and pasture losses, exceptional fire risk, shortages of water in reservoirs, streams and wells causing water emergencies."
Last week U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack issued a natural disaster declaration for 11 North Georgia counties, including Whitfield and Murray, because of sustained drought. Vilsack had previously declared a state of emergency for four other counties in Georgia because of drought.
According to state records, October was the eighth driest month in the last 129 years, and so far, 2023 the 58th driest year in the past 129 years.
"What we are looking for is to stop any accidental fires like the 2016 fire we had on the mountain that burned for weeks," said O'Brien.
That 2016 wildfire burned more than 600 acres on Rocky Face Ridge. The area was also in a drought then.
"We did have one today (Monday)," said O'Brien. "Someone was burning some stumps. They left the house, came back and the yard was on fire and a truck was on fire. These things are happening daily, and the rainfall we got this weekend just hit the surface. It didn't get down in there where it needs to be."
The city of Dalton also issued a burn ban. That ban prohibits all outdoor burning, including:
—Agricultural burning.
—Brush fires.
—Bonfires.
—Burning of debris.
—Burning of trees.
—Campfires.
—Fireworks by consumers.
—Open cooking fires.
—Warming fires.
Those who violate the burn bans face up to a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail. In addition, they could be held responsible for any damages resulting from an out-of-control fire.
The county commissioners also voted 3-0 to:
—Apply for a three-year grant from the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission to fund meals at the Whitfield County Senior Center. The county currently has an agreement with the regional commission to fund meals that expires June 30, 2024.
—Approve a $159,000 contract with Gresham Smith, a planning and design firm with offices across the nation, for engineering and architectural services for the south side of the Prater's Mill site.
—Accept a $87,283.35 bid from 908 Devices of Boston, Massachusetts, for a handheld mass spectrometer for the sheriff's office. A federal grant will cover $75,000 of the purchase and the remaining $12,283.35 will be covered by the sheriff's forfeiture fund. The device can be used to detect drugs.
—Approve a request by Robert Brooks to rezone from heavy manufacturing to rural residential 2.45 acres at 1331 Tunnel Hill-Varnell Road. The property currently has a double-wide manufactured home on it that was grandfathered in. Brooks said the man who owned it passed away. The manufactured home is now a non-conforming use and the zoning had to be changed before a new resident can occupy it.
—Approve a request by Matrix Entertainment Group to rezone from low-density, single-family residential to general commercial 1.1 acres at 2113 Cleveland Highway. Matrix wants to place a restaurant there.
—Approve a request by Bryan Spence to rezone from heavy manufacturing to rural residential 2.02 acres at 158 Callahan Cavender Road. Spence plans to build a duplex and single-family housing on the site.
—Deny a request by BGR03 LLC to rezone from rural residential to heavy manufacturing 3.9 acres at the intersection of the south Dalton bypass and Old Grade Road.
