Henderson County Burn Ban in effect
Henderson County Commissioners Court instituted a 28-day burn ban Tuesday morning at the request of Fire Marshal Shane Renberg.
The burn ban comes as triple-digit temperatures continue to bake the county.
Renberg said the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) average for the county is at 665, with a low of 570 and a high of 719.
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is maintained by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas A&M Forest Service and is used to determine fire potential.. The scale goes up to 800 and a burn ban is suggested when the KBDI is 575.
Renberg told the County Commissioners the KBDI has jumped about 70 points in the last week and is predicted to continue rising.
"I wouldn't be surprised if all the county is well above 650 or 700 in the next couple of weeks," he said.
The dry weather combined with the high fuel load is already having an impact. Renberg said the county has seen 30 grass fires in the past two weeks.
Ignoring the burn ban is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500.