The county enacted a burn ban across unincorporated areas of the county on June 28. At the time, the Keetch-Byram Drought Index average, which measures drought conditions on a scale from 0-800, for Harris County was 681.
As of Aug. 22, the KBDI had fallen to 384, according to an email from Christensen.
“Dry conditions in unincorporated Harris County have improved significantly,” Christensen said.
She said lifting the burn ban does not allow residents to conduct outdoor burning, which is prohibited in Texas. Harris County has seen 817 outdoor fires since July 1, which is 220 more than the number of outdoor fires during the entirety of 2021, according to Christensen.
Christensen said there are some exceptions to burning rules; residents should visit www.hcfmo.net for more information.
