County passes burn ban
for unincorporated areas

By: Sherrie Williams
Wichita County Commissioners passed a burn ban for unincorporated areas of the county during their regular meeting Monday.

The ban passed by a three to two vote of the commissioners.

The order prohibiting outdoor burning does not apply to outdoor burning activities related to public health and safety that are authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for firefighter training; public utility, natural gas pipeline; planting or harvesting of agriculture crops; or outdoor welding operations that are conducted by a prescribed burn manager certified under section 153.048, Natural Resources Code, and meets the standards of section 153.047, Natural Resources code.
Iowa Park Fire Chief Randy Fulbright said he had wanted a burn ban for the past few weeks because with the dry conditions things were “getting scary.”

Fulbright admitted that the burn ban will also help the departments receive reimbursement from the Texas Forest Service if they should have a large wildfire and equipment is damaged.

He explained that last year while fighting wildfires his as well as other fire departments had costly equipment damage and they received reimbursement for the cost of repairs.

However, without a burn ban should there be a large wildfire any damage to the equipment would cost the fire departments and/or cities and ultimately the tax payers.

But, more important to Fulbright is the safety of the citizens and their property.

Sparks or embers from someone burning debris could start a fire easily with these dry conditions and it wouldn’t take long for the fire to get out of hand. We were lucky a couple weeks ago with the fire north of US 287 and were able to keep the fire away from the homes and other structures despite the high wind.

The next time we may not be so lucky. That fire was started from someone burning limbs and debris in a pit,” Fulbright said. “I appreciate the commissioners enacting the burn ban.”

Enforcement of violations of the burn ban are as follows: Upon notification of burning violation of the order, the fire department assigned to the location of the fire will respond to the scene and take immediate measures to contain or extinguish the fire.

(b) A duly commissioned peace officer will be sent to the scene to investigate the nature of the fire. (c) If in the opinion of the officer at the scene or the fire chief of the appropriate department, the goal of the burn ban can be attained by informing the responsible party about the prohibitions established by the order may, at his discretion, notify the party about provisions of the order and request compliance with it. In such case an entry of notification shall be made into the dispatch log. (d). At the discretion of a peace officer, persons violating the burn ban order may be arrested and fined up to $500 per violation.