Free Republic

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Citing recent rainfall across much of Oklahoma, Gov. Brad Henry Wednesday lifted the state's burn ban for all but 20 western Oklahoma counties. Henry announced the action following a meeting on Tuesday with state agriculture, forestry and emergency management officials. The decision to modify the ban was based in large part on the advice of agriculture experts, he said. "The recent rainfall has improved conditions in many parts of Oklahoma and reduced the fire danger that has plagued our state for many months," Henry said. The governor said he will restore the burn ban if the fire...

Today is a no-burn day in most of Kern County, and local air pollution control inspectors are using high tech gadgets to seek out violators -- a method some say is against the law because it amounts to an illegal searches of people's homes. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is using six new infrared heat detectors, called non-contact infrared thermometers, to catch people burning wood in their fireplaces on designated no-burn days. With the devices, pollution control inspectors can be outside a home, point the infrared scanner at a chimney, pull the trigger and get a temperature...