Citing worsening drought conditions, the Travis County Commissioners Court has banned outdoor burning in unincorporated areas of the county.
The county measures moisture using the Keetch-Bryam Drought Index, in which zero represents saturation and 800 represents a complete lack of moisture.
During the court's Aug. 7 meeting, Travis County Fire Marshal Hershel Lee said the average drought index countywide was 447 prior to 10 a.m. and was increasing by an average of 10 to 13 points a day.
"The top 8 inches of grasses and small fuels are drying out quickly," Lee said. "The short-term forecast for the next 10 days are 100-degree temperatures and humidity at 30 to 40 percent. When there is low humidity, fires spread quickly."
