WOODVILLE – A countywide burn ban issued by Tyler County Judge Milton Powers last week will remain in effect.
The Tyler County Commissioners Court ratified the order on Monday during the governing body’s meeting, as a state of disaster “for public health emergency, at the time, supersedes all previous declarations issued by Tyler County on this matter,” and remains in effect and in full force until rescinded by Judge Powers.
The burn ban was issued last Monday due to ongoing countywide drought conditions and increased fire danger posed by outdoor burning.
There are, at press time, 178 counties under active burn bans in the state, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
The ban prohibits all outdoor burning, which includes trash, brush, trees, storm debris, construction material debris as well as campfires. Violating the order is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500.
“All of Tyler County is at least in the 600 range,” Powers said, and added that the northern part of the county was in the 700 range, referring to the Keetch-Byram Drought Index, which has reached 701 last week.
The index measures moisture in the soil on a scale of 0 to 800, with 0 being the wettest and 800 as the dryest.
Tonya Sheffield with the county’s emergency management office also spoke about the issue of possible fires caused by mowing and brush-hogging.
“Mowing and brush-hogging is not included in the burn ban, however, if you’re out brush-hogging and you hit a metal object or rocks, sparks can cause a fire,” she said. “Just know if you’re doing those activities, you can cause a fire.”
