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COLORADO COUNTY
Colorado County Judge Ty Prause issued a declaration of an emergency burn ban following a lack of rainfall and forecasted dry wind conditions on Monday, March 17.
According to the ban, outdoor burning has become “a public safety hazard” which could “threaten life and property” in Colorado County.
The ban is restricted in the unincorporated areas of the county as follows.
1. Outdoor burning banned. Unless an exception appears below, the use of combustible materials in an outdoor environment by any person is prohibited. Combustible materials include but are not limited to the use of all fireworks, burning of trash, brush and open campfires and materials used outdoors in activities that could result in a fire.
2 Outdoor cigarette or cigar smoking is banned unless each cigarette or cigar and ashes are deposited into an appropriate receptacle known to extinguish combustion and customarily used for such purpose.
Certain exceptions to the ban are additionally listed. The following outdoor activities shall be allowed “provided they are attended at all times and all following precautionary rules and measures are strictly followed.”
1. Household Trash. Burning of household trash in a receptacle that is enclosed and covered with a mesh material with no more than 11=inch openings and supervised in a safe area clear of debris.
2. Barbecues using abo e-ground grills, with enclosed fireboxes, in a safe area clear of debris or other combustible materials and attended at all times.
3. Controlled burns necessary for planting and harvesting agricultural crops with a defensible space around the bum area, presence of fire suppression tools and personal presence during the entire controlled burn.
4. Authorized by TCEQ. This order does not prohibit outdoor burning activities related to public health and safety that are authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for firefighting training, public utility natural gas pipeline or mining operations, planting or harvesting of agriculture crops or burns that are conducted by a prescribed burn manager certified under Section 153.048, Natural Resource Code, and meet the standards of Section 153.047, Natural Resource Code.
5. Attwater Prairie Chicken Refuge maintenance activities.
6. Non-profit and religious organizations shall be allowed to prepare barbecue provided they contact their local fire department in advance for a site visit by a member of the department and follow all precautionary measures directed by such department.
7. Outdoor welding shall only be allowed under the following circumstances: welding, cutting and grinding associated with welding activities shall not take place when the wind is over 15 miles per hour; the welder must notify the Colorado County Sheriff’s Department before any welding, cutting or grinding begins; all grass, leaves, brush and other easily combustible materials must be cleared with a twenty (20) foot radius surrounding the area where activity is to take place before any welding, cutting or grinding begins; and, a spotter with water and a ready pressurized delivery system must be on hand before any welding, cutting or grinding begins and remain on hand until the activity is completed.
The order will continue until rescinded or until it is extended or lifted by the Colorado County Commissioners court in accordance with the appropriate statue, but in no instance will it continue for more than seven days without being authorized by the Colorado County Commissioners court.
