Lee County officials are still working on an ordinance to regulate open burning as agriculture fires increase in the area.

The ordinance was up for approval at Thursday’s Lee County Board meeting, but Chairman Bob Olsen said there’s been recent changes and the board voted to hold it over another month. It’s set to be up for approval again at the Oct. 23 meeting.

“We’re just trying to get this right,” Olsen said.

The proposed ordinance was first brought to the board at the Aug. 21 meeting. That day Lee County Sheriff Clay Whelan explained that it’s intended to hold residents accountable if they burn during a red-flag warning and it results in an emergency response.

Red-flag warnings are issued by the National Weather Service to indicate a high risk of wildfire due to conditions like strong winds, low humidity and warm temperatures, according to the NWS.

“We don’t want to prohibit farmers from burning their fence lines. We just want everybody to be responsible and act accordingly,” Whelan said.

“We had one day in Lee County where there was a red-flag warning and every fire department in Lee County was deployed” for brush and grass fires, he said.

If approved, the ordinance bans burning all materials, except landscape and agricultural waste, in locations like public roads or sidewalks and during “periods of elevated fire risk” or a red-flag warning, according to the ordinance.

Burning would only allowed between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. during Daylight Savings Time and between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. during Standard Time, the ordinance says.

Before burning, residents would be required to notify their area’s fire department except when having a recreational fire. All fires would have to be supervised by a person who is at least 18, be a safe distance away from flammable materials and be within 25 feet of a water source, according to the ordinance.

Violations would result in up to a $250 fine for the first offense, up to $500 for the second offense and up to $1,500 per violation for the third and any subsequent offenses, the ordinance says.

At board meetings, residents are allotted time to make comments before action is taken on agenda items. The ordinance is set to be voted on again at the next meeting, set for 6 p.m. Oct. 23, on the third floor of the Old Lee County Courthouse, 112 E. Second St., Dixon.