Burn ban set to expire after 97 days

Bastrop County’s burn ban, first declared Sept. 17 and in place for more than three months, is set to expire at midnight tonight, according to county officials.

County commissioners voted to table the outdoor burning restrictions for further consideration, following testimony that most local fire chiefs supported allowing the ban to end.

James Altgelt, emergency management coordinator for the Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management, cited minimal recent fire activity, improved fuel moisture levels and fire danger forecasts that remain low. He said the Texas A&M Forest Service Predictive Services rates the county at one in five for fire danger over the next three days. 

“When we look at the totality of everything — the forecasts, the fire predictive services for fire danger threat — it would all be a no brainer,” Altgelt said. “That's why five of the six chiefs are saying allow it to expire.”

Drought and fire data shows mixed but generally improving conditions, with the Keetch-Byram Drought Index averaging 592 countywide and ranging from 251 to 692, he said. Since the last commissioners court meeting on Dec. 8, one fire burned less than two acres, with no structures threatened. 

“The 14-day average is actually lower than what it was when we started the burn ban,” Altgelt said. 

Despite limited chances of rain in the coming week, officials said fire conditions remain relatively low.

More to come in the Courier.