\t\t\t\tHarris County commissioners implemented a burn ban beginning Oct. 16 for unincorporated Harris County due to what county officials are calling “ongoing dry weather and heightened fire danger.”<\/p>\n
“In these dry conditions, a small spark could cause a big problem for our community,” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The big picture<\/p>\n
More than 150 counties across Texas<\/a> are also under burn bans to reduce wildfire threats, according to the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office<\/a>, including Montgomery<\/a>, Fort Bend, Waller, Chambers and Liberty counties.<\/p>\n What you need to know<\/p>\n The ban will last for 90 days or until the Texas Forest Service determines drought conditions no longer exist in Harris County. The TFS measures drought conditions based on the Keetch-Byram Drought Index scale<\/a>, which finds conditions between 600-800 with the potential to lead to intense, prolonged wildfires. County officials found Harris County averaging 671, according to a news release.<\/p>\n The burn ban prohibits:<\/p>\n Outdoor burning, except in an enclosure that contains all sparks and flamesThe burn ban allows:Ceremonial firesNoncommercial cooking, such as backyard cookouts and barbecuesWelding and other “hot work” performed in accordance with county fire code requirementsDiwali firework celebrationsViolation of the burn ban is considered a Class C misdemeanor, according to a news release, punishable by up to a $500 fine.<\/p>\n Also of note<\/p>\n