Apple Springs Fire Chief Brett Selman can testify that the county, especially in his area, is a tinderbox.
Over the course of the last week, the Apple Springs Volunteer Fire Department answered four calls for brush fires, he said.
While the damage to the area was not large, the land is dry, and Selman said that all four fires were the result of violation of the county’s burn ban.
Other departments in the county have answered similar calls; Selman asks that county residents follow the burn ban put in place on Jan. 13 by the Trinity County Commissioners Court.
The text of the order:
Whereas the Commissioners Court finds that circumstances present in all of the unincorporated areas of the county create a public safety hazard that would be exacerbated by outdoor burning, it is hereby ordered by the Commissioners Court that all outdoor burning is prohibited in the unincorporated areas of the county for 90 days from the date of adoption of this order, unless restrictions are terminated earlier based on a determination Texas Forest Service or the court.
This order is adopted pursuant to local government other applicable statutes. made by the Texas Forest Code 352.081 (c) and This Order does not prohibit outdoor burning activities related to public health and safety that are authorized by the Texas Natural Resources Commission (1) firefighter training; (2) public utility, natural gas pipeline or mining operations; (3) planting or harvesting of agricultural crops; or (4) burns that are conducted by a prescribed burn manager certified under Section 153.048, Natural Resources Code and meet the standards of Section 153.047, Natural Resources Code.
In addition, the Trinity County Commissioners' Court acknowledges that the Davy Crockett National Forest is exempt from the burn ban regulations.
It is further ordered that household trash and domestic waste may be burned in an above ground enclosure, such as a burn barrel, if the burning operations are performed in compliance with the following requirements: (1) the enclosure must have a screen; (2) an individual 18 years or older must be present at all times; (3) a water source for extinguishing the fire must be within 10 feet of the enclosure.
It is further ordered that outdoor cooking in contained grills or fire pits is allowed with a water source nearby. Coals and ashes should be doused in water once finished cooking.
In accordance, with the Local Government Code § 352,081 (h), a violation of this Order is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $500.
The burn ban, based on ordinances, also affects the cities of Groveton and Trinity.
