Hays County Commissioners Court lifted the county's burn ban Sept. 14 after a recommendation by Fire Marshal Mark Chambers.

Chambers cited the recent rainfall as the reason for the ban's lift.

"Last Friday we were very fortunate to start getting some rain in Central Texas," Chambers said at the court's regular meeting Sept. 18. "We looked at everything on Friday and requested that we lift the burn ban and give residents a chance to burn."

Chambers encouraged residents to take precautions before and while burning, recommending that those who plan to do any outdoor burning never leave a fire unattended, ensure an adult is nearby, have water readily available, and alert the local fire department and neighbors of the burn.

"We'll give it a week and see what happens," Chambers told commissioners. "I think we'll be fine for a week, maybe even two weeks."

According to the Keetch-Byram Drought Index, Hays County's average drought level on Sept. 18 is 459.

Chambers said the KBDI is projected to reach 483 in the next two weeks. The fire marshal's office typically begins considering burn bans when the index reaches 575.

The index uses ground-based estimates of temperature and precipitation to determine the potential for a fire in an area. An index of 0 indicates no moisture depletion and an index of 800 indicates completely dry conditions. The KBDI average on Sept. 18, 2011, was 766.

County Judge Dr. Bert Cobb reviewed the necessity of the burn ban and agreed with Chambers' assessment that the ban should remain lifted until further review.

"People don't understand how much time and effort we spend on this issue, and I appreciate Mark and all of your input," Cobb said.

For additional information on the burn ban, burning rules and the drought index, visit the Hays County Fire Marshal's website at www.co.hays.tx.us and select "Fire Marshal" from the Law Enforcement menu.