When you think of spring, you think of pollen, flowers and leaves in bloom, mowing the lawn, showers, thunderstorms, and the possibility of hail, high winds, and tornadoes. You don’t usually think about burn bans, but here we are.
Three East Texas counties issue county-wide burn bans
Burn bans are typically implemented during extremely hot and dry conditions during the summer months and into the fall, but this year they have arrived on the last day of the winter.
- Morris County
- Upshur County
- Marion County
These three counties imposed burn bans on Wednesday (March 19th). East Texas has seen some fierce winds over the last few weeks as late winter cold fronts pass through, bringing with them strong winds before and after the front, as well as extremely low humidity levels.
These conditions, combined with recent low rainfall, have created ideal conditions for any outdoor fire to quickly spiral out of control and become a wildfire.
Morris County officials issued a burn ban, which will last seven days unless renewed by the county commissioners’ court.
Upshur County issued a 10-day burn ban, which only applies to the county’s unincorporated areas.
Marion County has issued a burn ban, which is effective for seven days unless extended by the county commissioners’ court.
Penalty for violating a Texas Burn Ban
Intentionally violating a burn ban is considered a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of $500. Furthermore, any damage caused by a burn may result in civil penalties, as well as the filing of criminal charges.
Exceptions to Texas Burn Bans
You may still use your gas grill, barbecue grill, and smoker for cooking as long as they are supervised and fully covered. Welders may continue to work, but they must communicate with local fire officials about their activities.
Today (March 19th), firefighters in Smith and Marion counties were fighting wildfires in the face of extremely unfavorable weather conditions.
If it is still legal to burn in your area and you are doing so, please be aware of the size of the fire and have enough water or a water source nearby to extinguish it.