Burn Ban Here Returns Amidst Dry Conditions
The Fayette County Commissioners Court issued a ban on outdoor burning at their meeting Thursday morning, Sept. 26.
“This is something I wanted to put on (the agenda) because it has been really dry,” said Pct. 1 Commissioner Jason McBroom. “I know we did get some rain the other night in some places. But the other reason is there is no rain in the forecast.”
Pct. 2 Commissioner Luke Sternadel and Pct. 3 Commissioner Harvey Berckenhoff said they consulted with the fire chiefs in their precincts, who were in favor of implementing a burn ban.
“At first we were against it but since we started getting northers and we haven’t gotten rain like we were supposed to, we’re fine with it either way,” said Pct. 4 Commissioner Drew Brossmann, who serves as an assistant chief in the Schulenburg Volunteer Fire Department. Brossmann commended citizens for practicing good fire safety this summer.
“Everybody has been using very good common sense like we always preach,” Brossmann said. “We haven’t had one single controlled burn that got away from anybody. They’ve been doing a good job.”
Chief Deputy Randy Noviskie, who also serves as the Fayetteville Fire Chief, said Austin County and Colorado County have entered into a burn ban.
“There’s an extreme amount of fuel because we had above normal rainfall this whole year,” McBroom said. “There’s a lot of grass out there.”
Berckenhoff said many farmers have decided to forego late hay cuttings because they harvested so much early in the year.
“I’ve seen pastures everywhere grown up with a lot of grass and it’s going to get dry,” Berckenhoff said.
Fayette County Emergency Management Coordinator Angela Hahn said the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) showed an increasing level of drought conditions in Fayette County.
“Yesterday we were at 598 and 800 is the top, so we’re creeping closer and closer,” Hahn said. “We are in what is considered a mild drought.”
The KDBI average for Fayette County was 631 as of Friday, Sept. 27.
“Having heard all this, I make a motion we implement a burn ban immediately,” said County Judge Dan Mueller. Sternadel seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.