List of Counties Under a Burn Ban in East Texas Expands

(Trinity County, Texas) - I am so being Captain Obvious here but rain is important for everything. When we don't get any, it affects our mood and also affects nature around us. We start having to use more of that precious resource to keep things alive.

It can also become dangerous because the grass becomes more susceptible to fire. One little spark or lit cigarette or lightning strike can start a million acre fire. That's why counties have to issue burn bans and write big fines for those who violate it.

Many Counties Under a Burn Ban in East Texas

Currently, 10 counties in East Texas have enacted burn bans. Trinity County is the latest one to do so (KLTV). This means that if you are in one of those counties, burning trash, lighting a fire pit, using a welder and other activities that require fire or make sparks are banned. There are some exceptions that can be made, specifically if you're a welder.

Fines are different depending on the county can be as high as $500 and you could even be charged with a misdemeanor. If your burn ban violation causes damage, the charge could go as high as a felony depending on the amount of damage and if someone was hurt or killed. I'm not trying to be Debbie Downer here but you need to understand the consequences of violating these burn bans.

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Burn Bans in East Texas

If your county isn't under a burn ban, it is strongly advised to do as little, or no, outdoor burning. The ground is too dry right now. Even if we get a little bit of rain, that's not enough to get us out of this drought. We need several days of heavy rainfall to do that.

As you can see, East Texas ranges from slight to moderate drought conditions:

Looking at the 10 day forecast from KLTV, it doesn't look like we have much a chance of rain until January 21.

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