The burning ban in Botetourt County has been lifted thanks to nearly three days of rain that dropped from 1.5 to 5.5 inches of rain on the county.
The Board of Supervisors voted to lift the ban at its Tuesday afternoon meeting, right after affirming the ban that went into place nearly two weeks ago.
Assistant County Administrator Spencer Suter said the National Weather Service reported Botetourt got from 1.5 inches to 5.5 inches of rain in the 72 hours before lifting the ban, and the Virginia Department of Forestry reported Tuesday morning that the Drought Index had dropped from 627 to 302. The Drought Index goes from 0 to 800. The higher the number, the drier it is and the higher the chance of wildfire.
Suter said if dry weather resumes, it’s possible the county will have to establish a burn ban again. The county has done that twice this summer.
