Montgomery County officials have extended a disaster declaration through Nov. 21, maintaining a burn ban due to ongoing drought concerns. The measure aims to mitigate the risk of wildfires as drought conditions persist, with local fire danger levels remaining critically high.
Montgomery County officials extended a disaster declaration until Nov. 21, prohibiting the burning of limbs and foliage, in response to persistent drought conditions, during the Oct. 22 Commissioners Court meeting. The declaration is designed to mitigate the risk of wildfires, which are still elevated due to persistent arid weather.
The burn prohibition, implemented on October 16 in response to an announcement from County Judge Mark Keough, prohibits most outdoor burning. The Montgomery County Fire Marshal's Office will also suspend commercial land-clearing operations that utilize air curtain incinerators until they have been inspected. By state law, burning household refuse is prohibited year-round.
As of October 14, the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI), which assesses the risk of forest fires on a scale of 0 to 800, indicated an average of 693 for the region. This decision was made by the county. The fire danger in certain county regions was even more pronounced, with a reading of 744.
The extended declaration will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. on November 21 unless it is revoked or renewed by the court. Montgomery County implemented a comparable prohibition from August 1 to September 18 of the previous year.
"In a social media post, Keough stated that we are taking proactive measures to safeguard the environment from potential wildfires and ensure the safety of our residents."
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