Commissioners Extend Burn Ban 30 Days

Henderson County Commissioners Court extended the burn ban another 30 days during its weekly meeting Tuesday morning.

"We are still in the same situation that we were in before," Fire Marshal Shane Renberg told Commissioners.

The average Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) value for Henderson County Tuesday morning was 756 with a high of 782. The scale only goes up to 800 and a burn ban is suggested when the KBDI is 575.

The KBDI is maintained by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas A&M Forest Service and is used to determine fire potential.

A burn ban was originally initiated in the county on June 21 and then extended on July 19. County Judge Wade McKinney later issued a local disaster declaration because of the drought and wildfires which Commissioners Court extended on July 26. Gov. Greg Abbott has also added Henderson County to a drought-related statewide disaster declaration.

Pct. 2 Commissioner Scott Tuley asked whether citations were being written for those who violate the burn ban. The Fire Marshal said they were but unfortunately those who are burning aren't the type to be stopped by a citation.

"We have a serious problem here," said Commissioner Tuley, "we need to do something to protect the ones that are (following the rules)."

Commissioner Tuley said the Fire Marshal's Office and the County are doing a good job of getting the information out, "but they still don't do it."

"Sadly so many of the issues we deal with are because of a neglect of personal responsibility," said County Judge Wade McKinney.