The details
James Altgelt, the Bastrop County emergency management coordinator, told Bastrop County Commissioners Court during a Nov. 24 meeting that the Keetch-Byram Drought Index—a tool used in determining forest fire potential—had a 14-day average of 602.29 from Nov. 3 to Nov. 16.
An index of 800 represents “absolutely dry” conditions, while an index of zero represents no moisture depletion, according to the Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management.
Some background
Bastrop County also issued a disaster declaration Sept. 18, citing several factors, including:
- A lack of rainfall for an extended period of time
- The dry conditions posing a risk of large, dangerous and fast-moving wildfires
- Meteorologists not forecasting a change in the dry conditions in the near future
“The latest drought map for conditions as of Nov. 18 shows an increase in drought area from the previous week—the night weekly increase in the past 10 weeks,” Mark Wentzel, a hydrologist with the Office of Water Science and Conservation, said in his latest Water Weekly report Nov. 10. “Drought area has reached its largest extent since early April, but recent rainfall should bring improvements to next week’s map.”
What else?
Residents can contact Altgelt with questions at 512-581-4022.
