CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – After consultation with the Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, and the Fire Marshall, Mayor Kim McMillan decided Tuesday to issue a burn ban for the City of Clarksville. The ban, which covers all areas within the city limits, takes effect immediately and prohibits all outdoor open burning, such as residential burn piles, construction burning, leaf burning and bonfires. “The unusually hot and dry conditions during October prompted the need to ban all outdoor burning,” Mayor McMillan said. “We have to do all we can to keep our community safe. When dry conditions get to this point, this is the prudent course.” Fire Chief Mike Roberts said the ban is temporary and will be lifted after the area receives sufficient rainfall. Residents and businesses should contact the Fire Chief’s Office, 931-645-7456, if they have questions about the burn ban. “We’ve had a very dry October, and we’ve had high temperatures for most of the month, and now we’re seeing an increase in fires,” Roberts said. “We’ve had seven fires in the past 10 days, including two fires Sunday — one in a soybean field, and the other one was in some woods next to a house.” Some other Middle Tennessee cities and counties have also declared burn bans, including Brentwood, Spring Hill, Smyrna, LaVergne, Mount Juliet and all of Rutherford County.