Tulsa, Oklahoma. — 24 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties have banned burns to reduce the risk of wildfires.

With no sign of relief on the horizon, agencies say Oklahoma’s dry weather is only getting worse.

NewsChannel 8 spoke with the Oklahoma Forest Service who said that in addition to not being able to burn outdoors, there are also more common routines and habits you should avoid.

“Parking in tall grass where a catalytic converter can get very hot and start a wildfire. These are mostly common sense things that we just encourage people to avoid and be careful about. And we find that most some people in Oklahoma are really good at this,” Keith said. Merckx with the Oklahoma Forest Service.

Merckx says that, generally speaking, anything with embers will not comply with the bans, saying that when it comes to what people are still allowed to do, it varies from county to county .

The ban issued by Washington County prohibits any person from setting fire to any forest, grass, pasture, crop or other wild land, or from lighting a camp or bonfire, or from burning trash, debris, or other materials that may cause a forest, grass, pasture, crop, or other wildfire.

Exceptions include grilling or outdoor cooking only on hard fire-resistant surfaces at least 10 feet by 10 feet and welding, grinding, or gas torch work with a dedicated fire watcher and means for extinguishing any fire with water under pressure.

Mayes County’s ban makes an exception for gas grills without exposed open flames and a hooded cooking area can be used.

This also makes an exception for welding or torch cutting activities under specific conditions and guidelines.

“This week we’re having now, we’ve been called to over 100 fires across 2,400 acres,” Merckx said.

“We responded to 66 grass fires,” said Andrew Little of the Tulsa Fire Department.

Even though Tulsa County is not under a burn ban, Little said this week, the Tulsa Fire Department has responded to an average of nine grass fires per day and nearly two dozen house fires.

“It’s important for citizens to know that they need to be careful, even if there is no burning ban,” Little said.

Little says you’re never allowed to do open burning within city limits regardless of the burning ban, but he says you can cook outside with charcoal grills and fireplaces, and using things like outdoor patio fireplaces.

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