News Update:

Bee County commissioners lifted the burn ban Monday.

Recent thunderstorms have dumped at least three to five inches of rain on some parts of the county — and no part of the county escaped the deluge completely.

It was this that made it possible to lift the ban on outdoor burning.

The county has been under a burn ban since July 19. The 90-day ban was set to expire on Sept. 19.

Bee County Fire Marshal Ken Orrell and Bee County Emergency Management Coordinator David Morgan recommended the county lift the burn ban to give rural residents an opportunity to burn debris while the ground was still wet and while the chance of wildfires was low.

However, Morgan warned county leaders that weather forecasters predict dry weather to return in the not-too-distant future.