Jackson County is under a burn ban until further notice.

On Friday, county commissioners issued an emergency proclamation for the burn ban because of the current drought conditions in the county.

Emergency proclamations are issued when a state of emergency exists in the county and there is a threat of a natural disaster. In this case, it’s countywide drought conditions.

The commissioners find the county to be at risk of widespread fire hazards because of the drought, according to the proclamation.

Under the burn ban, certain activities are prohibited as a public safety response to the fire hazards.

Following Indiana Code, these activities aren’t allowed in Jackson County during the burn ban:

• Campfires and other recreational fires, unless enclosed in a fire ring with dimensions of 23 inches in diameter by 6 inches high or larger
• Open burning of any kind using conventional fuel such as wood or other combustible matter with the exception of grills fueled by charcoal briquettes or propane
• The burning of debris, such as timber or vegetation, including such debris that results from building construction activities and/or wind storm debris
• The use of burn barrels for any open burning at residential structures

Charcoal from permitted grills should not be removed from the grills until the charcoal has been thoroughly extinguished.

According to the weather station at Brownstown Central High School, the area has received only 0.11 inches of rain this month.

Today, the high temperature is expected to be around 80 degrees in Seymour before dropping to the upper 30s overnight with an 80 percent chance of rain, according to the National Weather Service. Rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch are expected, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

On Saturday, there is a 20 percent chance of showers between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Then the next chances of rain are Tuesday and Wednesday.