Commissioners voted to extend the present burn ban to restrict outdoor burning to individuals certified by the state of Texas once the Keetch-Byrum Drought Index reaches 650 in Bee County.
Homeowners who live in the unincorporated areas of the county also may continue to burn trash between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. Saturdays even if the index reaches 650.
Ken Orrell, who serves as the fire marshal for both the city and county, recommended amending the burn ban to further restrict outdoor burning.
“We’re sitting on top of a powder keg and it’s ready to go off,” Orrell assured commissioners during their regular monthly meeting on Monday. “We’re not getting any rain. It’s very, very dry. The county is in real danger of wildfires.”
Burn ban in effect
The county already has a burn ban in place. That ban prohibits burning outdoors unless the person supervising the burning has a prescribed burn manager’s certification from the state.
The burn ban also allows farmers and ranchers to burn brush if they get a burn permit from the county.
In addition, county residents may burn trash and brush between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Saturdays.
Bee County commissioners imposed a burn ban on outdoor burning in unincorporated areas of the county in early November.
The ban on burning went into effect immediately and will expire in 90 days unless commissioners decide otherwise.
Drought continues
David Morgan, emergency management coordinator for the county, recommended the county adopt a burn ban on outdoor burning because of the dry weather conditions. He said then that the county is nearing the 600-700 range in the Keetch-Byrum Drought Index, which measures precipitation, winds and temperature to determine how susceptible an area is to wildfires.
Counties within the 600-700 range are highly susceptible to wildfires, according to the Texas Forestry Service.
Orrell told commissioners Monday that the county is now at 623 on the Keetch-Byrum index. He recommended the county amend the burn ban presently in place to restrict outdoor burning once the drought index reaches 650 unless the individual supervising the burning has a prescribed burn manager’s certificate from the state.
“Once the index reaches 650, individuals with prescribed burn management certificates will be allowed to burn,” he said. “They will still need to get a permit from me or the county but they can still burn. All other burning will be prohibited outdoors.”
He said residents who live in the unincorporated areas of the county may continue to burn trash between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Saturdays as long as they burn the garbage in a barrel covered by a mesh screen.
Morgan, who did not attend the commissioners court meeting, agreed to the extra precautions in a letter he sent to county commissioners.
Commissioners agreed to both recommendations.
Fireworks ban enacted
Orrell also recommended, and commissioners approved, prohibiting certain types of fireworks to be sold, purchased, ignited or detonated over the next month or so.
Commissioners agreed to ban fireworks known as “skyrockets with sticks” or “Missiles with fins” because of concerns that they will ignite wildfires.
“They’re not even supposed to have them on the shelf,” he said of the prohibited fireworks. When the fireworks stands start to open I will visit each one and see if they have any of these (prohibited) fireworks and if they do I will have them remove them.”
Last December and early January, fireworks are believed to have contributed to more than 20 wildfires.
Common firecrackers and large tube-like fireworks that primarily paint the sky with colorful star bursts, may be bought, sold and detonated in the unincorporated areas of the county.
The city of Beeville has a complete ban on fireworks within the city limits.
Post a Comment