Council Bluffs, Iowa – Based on precipitation over the last week, officials with Pottawattamie County Emergency Management has requested the State Fire Marshall lift the current ban on burning in Pottawattamie County, effective today (Monday, 11/27/23).

Open burning is now allowable throughout the county EXCEPT in any municipal city limits where there is a standing ordinance prohibiting open burning on a regular basis. Before burning within any city limits, check with your local fire department or city clerk to determine whether your community has such an ordinance.

Residents are to continue using extreme caution whenever burning. The county is still experiencing abnormally dry conditions and seasonal outlooks indicate that will remain the case or even deteriorate in the upcoming months.

Emergency Management urges all residents to sign up for Alert Iowa emergency notifications at https://pcema-ia.org. During emergencies or critical events communication is key, and the Alert Iowa system is our primary method of distributing alerts and information.