With the recent thunderstorm large enough to shut down the Waukesha County Fair, and with temperatures dropping overnight, residents may be surprised to find Sussex’s burning ban is still in place.

Village Administrator Jeremy Smith says to hold off on the summer bonfires for a while longer to avoid putting the community at risk.

“There just hasn’t been enough rain yet overall, so there’s no change on the burn ban,” Smith said Friday afternoon. “We don’t plan on lifting it, at least not at this point.”

This comes after Gov. Scott Walker requested federal disaster relief for 23 Wisconsin counties, a move directed at helping farmers suffering during the severe drought. Walker declared on Wednesday that all 72 counties in the state are in a drought emergency.

However, while neighboring community Menomonee Falls hasn’t ended their burning ban in light of these facts, other municipalities like Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant recently have. But combined with Sussex’s request for residents to limit the number of times they water their lawns, village officials are still taking the drought seriously.  

“Campfires, fireworks and all forms of outside burning are prohibited until the fire department lifts the ban,” Smith said in his initial statement. “Due to the drought conditions in the area, the Village will be strictly enforcing this provision… Police will be monitoring the Village for illegal discharge of fireworks and will issue tickets to violators.”