The Tarrant County Commissioner’s Court approved an outdoor burning ban for Tarrant County, which will be in place until Nov. 16.

The unincorporated areas of Tarrant County have been determined to be under drought conditions by the Texas Forest Service. These conditions have prompted the Tarrant County Fire Marshal to request the ban on outdoor burning in an effort to protect lives and properties of the residents in Tarrant County.

A violation of the court order prohibiting outdoor burning is a class C misdemeanor and punishable of a fine up to $500.

The Tarrant County Fire Marshal's office urges residents in rural areas to make sure that an area of approximately 30 feet is mowed around their homes and outbuildings to prevent a fire from reaching the structures.

For information on outdoor cooking and outdoor welding guidelines you can go to https://access.tarrantcounty.com/en/fire-marshal.html.