Montgomery County extends burn ban as fire risk conditions continue

Montgomery County commissioners voted unanimously for a 90-day extension of the county’s current burn ban at a Commissioners Court special session Aug. 2. The ban can be terminated earlier if conditions improve.

The previous ban was enacted July 5 at an earlier special session, preventing residents from burning branches and leaves during yard cleaning, but not targeting fireworks calls.

At the Aug. 2 special session, County Fire Marshal Jimmy Williams cited continuing elevated fire risk conditions, with the Keetch-Byram Drought Index recording an average of 726 for Aug. 1—well into the 600-800 range associated with severe drought, according to the Texas Weather Connection at Texas A&M University.

“We’re beyond the education point by now—everyone should know it’s not safe to burn,” Williams said.

Williams also reiterated the county’s greater preparedness for wildfires, describing the available stations as a “network” compared to 2011, when severe wildfires struck Montgomery County.

“We’re better prepared than we were,” Williams said. “We’ve got more firefighters and a network of stations to respond.”