Burn ban off

Published Sunday, March 23, 2008

By Brandon Evans

As of 1:33 p.m. Thursday, the emergency, county-wide outdoor burn ban enacted by county judge Bill McElhaney last week expired.

At a special called meeting Thursday afternoon, McElhaney chose not to re-enact the ban.

"I would not, at this time, have any plans to make such a declaration," McElhaney said.

County officials still urge all people to use caution and check conditions such as wind speed and humidity before burning or welding outside.

"Even without the burn ban people still need to use good judgment," said Precinct 1 Commissioner Robert Rankin. "People are liable both criminally and financially if they start a fire that damages someone else's property."

Rankin and McElhaney were the only members of the commissioners court in attendance at the special called meeting. With only two members present, no quorum was attained. Thus, the court was unable to declare a 90-day burn ban.

Those present felt comfortable in not re-instating an emergency burn ban.

"The soil is saturated and the forecast is calling for more rain on Saturday," Rankin said. "I don't see a need to continue the ban, but people need to use common sense."

Despite the ample supply of recent precipitation, plenty of areas in the county remain covered with dead vegetation ripe to ignite. The saturated soil beneath the dried vegetation makes it difficult for the vehicles of firefighters to get to some areas. There have been several cases of firefighters getting their vehicles stuck in the mud while trying to extinguish a grass fire.

At the meeting, McElhaney explained his reasoning behind enacting the emergency seven-day ban last week, despite the recent downpour and heavy snowfall.

Ever since the devastating grassfires in late January, Jack Colley, the chief of Texas' Emergency Management Division has been holding daily briefings with officials from at-risk counties, including Wise.

Last Thursday, Colley issued a briefing warning of severe wildfire threats throughout parts of Texas. The briefing read that Texas was entering "historic levels of severity."

Despite the expiration of the current ban, McElhaney said weather conditions change rapidly and he will enact an emergency burn ban if necessary.

The commissioners meet Monday morning and will revisit the issue.

Since the current wildfire season began, firefighters statewide have responded to more than 4,800 wildfires, according to Colley.

These fires have burned more than 679,000 acres and destroyed 125 homes. Twenty-one Texas firefighters have suffered serious injuries this wildfire season.