Fort Bend County’s burn ban has been lifted, county officials announced in a Nov. 8 news release.

The overview

The Fort Bend County Fire Marshal cited a decrease in high temperatures, an increase in rain and a drop on the Keetch-Byram Drought Index—a tool used to gauge forest fire danger on a scale of 0-800—to 297, according to the release.

The burn ban, which was enacted Oct. 8, was in response to the county’s index reaching 654.

What this means


With the ban lifted, residents can resume outdoor burning activities, although the Fort Bend County Fire Marshal reminded residents in a Nov. 8 Facebook post to use caution with any outdoor burning or cooking.

Zooming out

There are still 134 counties across the state with burn bans, including Harris County, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service’s website.

What else?


The county’s ban on certain fireworks, including “skyrockets with sticks” and “missiles with fins,” also expired on Nov. 8.