Commissioners Burn Ban Gamble on Mother Nature Works Well

County Leaders Also Finalize Procedures for Enacting Burn Bans in the Future

Fayette County Commissioners decided to hold off on issuing a burn ban at their meeting last Wednesday.

Commissioners surveyed area fire chiefs a few days before the meeting, and some of the chiefs recommended a burn ban. At the time, there was no rain in the forecast. But by Wednesday, weather forecasts predicted two to three inches of rain falling in Fayette County on Friday and Saturday.

“I think we should wait until after this weekend,” said Pct. 1 Commissioner Jason McBroom. “We can have an emergency meeting on Monday or Tuesday if we need to do that.”

Wednesday’s meeting agenda included an item to consider a burn ban, but commissioners took no action. As predicted, more than two inches of rain fell throughout much of Fayette County over the weekend, with more than three inches falling in some places.

Also at the meeting, commissioners formalized a protocol for setting future burn bans.

According to the protocol, the County will normally take the following actions before implementing or rescinding a burn ban:

1. Consult the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KDBI) to ascertain the level of drought in Fayette County.

2. Send an alert to Fayette County Fire Chiefs, the Fayette County Firefighters Association President, Fayette County Emergency Management Chief, the Fayette County Judge and Fayette County Commissioners notifying them about when a decision about the burn ban will be made.

3. Fire chiefs will call, text or email the County Commissioner in their Precinct with input concerning issuing a burn ban or lifting the burn ban.

4. Commissioners will vote at Commissioners Court (either a regular, special or emergency meeting).

5. Send a radio page to the fire departments, 9-1-1 dispatch, Sheriff’s Office and the Local Forest Service office notifying them about the change in status of the burn ban.

6. Notify the public about the change in status of the burn ban through the county website, local radio stations and newspapers.

The protocol states that the County Judge (or County Judge Pro-tem in the absence of the County Judge) may implement an emergency burn ban when there is not time to call a meeting of the commissioners court, such as on a weekend or holiday. In such a case, the County will notify the fire departments, 9-1-1 dispatch, Sheriff’s Office and the Forest Service via a radio page and the public via local media and the county website. The County would then call an emergency commissioners court meeting on the next business day to vote on the burn ban.

The new protocol states that a burn ban applies to the entire county. Commissioners Court will not issue a burn ban for parts of the county, such as a single precinct.