SMITH COUNTY, Texas — The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office is urging people that all outdoor burning activity in the county is prohibited.
The Smith County Commissioners Court voted on Aug. 1 to issue a burn ban for Smith County.
The burn ban order is in effect for 90 days, unless weather conditions improve and the Commissioners Court approves terminating the order early. As weather conditions continue to pose a threat for wildfires, it will require significant rainfall before the order can be lifted.
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index has moved into the 700 range on Aug. 9 for Smith County.
The average KBDI is 704 for Aug. 9, with some areas of the county as high as 758. The KBDI is used to measure the effects of seasonal drought on fire potential.
Wind conditions, along with extremely dry grass can easily start fires that are difficult to control. Citizens are urged to exercise caution when parking near grass.
Heat from vehicle exhaust can quickly ignite dry grass. While roadside fires are not uncommon, Smith County has experienced incidents where these fires have quickly spread to nearby land, structures, and vehicles.
When pulling trailers, it is extremely important to ensure that tow chains or other metal objects do not make contact with the roadway. Sparks resulting from this condition can start in roadside fires to grow rapidly.
Overall, the county has seen a significant number of grass fires and calls for illegal burning since the burn ban was implemented.
At 12:30 p.m., on Wednesday, multiple fire departments were battling a fast-moving grass fire impacting at least one structure and threatening other buildings and vehicles.
By 1 p.m., the county experienced six grass fires, one structure fire, and one report of illegal burning for the day.
While some incidents have been accidental, officials continue to respond to calls involving violations to the burn ban. A violation to the burn ban is a Class C Misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500.