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(THOMAS WALLNER | THE GRAHAM LEADER) A Young County Precinct 4 water truck and an Eliasville VFD truck spring into action following a grassfire on FM 209 jumping the road Sunday, Sept. 21.
Young County Judge Win Graham rescinded a burn ban that has been in place since the end of September.
The county judge signed an order Monday, Dec. 1 rescinding the burn ban that was enacted Monday, Sept. 22 by the Young County Commissioners Court. The 90-day ban was set to expire Monday, Dec. 22 unless terminated earlier by the court or county judge.
The burn restrictions were enacted due to the public safety hazard present if burning was allowed. The ban was enacted the day after a fire broke out on FM 209 west of FM 3109 requiring containment from state and local units.
A county burn ban prohibits all outdoor burning from the date of the order, with violations of the order resulting in a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $500.
A ban does not prohibit outdoor burning related to public health and safety authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for firefighter training, burns prescribed by a prescribed burn manager or public utility, natural gas pipeline or mining operations.
Additionally, an order does not prohibit commercial or professional welding operations.
Texas A&M Forest Service stated in their fire potential update for Dec. 1-7 that the environment supports low to limited activity this week with fuel moistures remaining above normal and no elevated fire weather trigger forecast.
“Any fires that occur are expected to remain (in the) initial attack with low resistance to control in cured grass or timber litter fuel,” the department stated in the update.
The state fire service has the wildfire preparedness level set at one, which is the lowest rating. Levels 1-5 are planning assumptions and actions which are determined by fuel and weather conditions, current and future wildfire activity, regional preparedness levels and fire suppression resource availability.
The National Weather Service of Fort Worth said a cold front is forecast to move through the night of Wednesday, Dec. 3 and into the morning of Thursday, Dec. 4. The cold weather will have increased rain chances and a low chance for sleet pellets to mix with rain.
Young County has a 20-40% chance of sleet pellets to mix with the cold rain, but accumulation of ice is not anticipated.
