Travis County Commissioners Court
January 3, 2006
Items 2 and A2
2. Consider and take appropriate action regarding the prohibition of outdoor burning in the unincorporated areas of Travis County.
>> good morning, pete baldwin, emergency services coordinator. There is no action needed on item 2. That's our outdoor burning ban. It will expire next week, we will have a new order for you barring any unforeseen forecasts that -- that we don't think is out there.
>> for those listening, by taking no action, we leave in place.
>> the outdoor burning ban.
>> the outdoor burning ban that's been in place now for six or seven weeks, right?
>> yes, this will be the third one that I will be bringing one, so that would be 8 weeks.
>> okay. And the reason we need to leave that in place is because conditions haven't changed, it's still hazardous, dangerous, et cetera.
>> absolutely. We were fortunate over the past weekend that we did not get any large fires. We kind of got by a little bit with lower wind speeds, a little bit higher relative humidity, but as we have seen up to the north and north central Texas, they've had just the opposite, high winds, low humidities and in fact they have lost a number of homes in towns due to wild land fires that have gotten out of hand. So we are expected to go under what we call a red flag warning this afternoon for the whole central Texas area. And that means hi winds, low humidity, so this afternoon we are facing another challenge to get through. We just hope people act as consciously, with good sense as they did the past weekend.
>> okay. Speaking of good sense, is it time for a 2?
>> yes, sir.
>> a 2 is to consider and take appropriate action on order declaring local disaster to address the potential threat of wild fires due to drought and adverse weather conditions and banning the use of combustible materials, including fireworks and outdoor environments pursuant to section 418.108 of the government code. This is a follow-up item. To the emergency item that we acted on last Friday. This was put on just in case we needed. Now the order that we adopted had wording to the effect that it would expire when?
>> I believe Friday, seven days.
>> seven days.
>> it doesn't say. It just stays in effect until either it expires, because it's not extended, which would be seven days, but anyway it's good until next Friday. This Friday afternoon, probably around 1:30. Unless the court consents to its extension or renewal for another seven days.
>> so the question today is whether we need to extend it another seven days?
>> yes.
>> until Friday of next week and the date of that is the 13th? Okay.
>> the 13th?
>> I think the -- the main thing that we accomplished last Friday was we got a very strong message out to the public and I think it was adhered to. We saw very little activity over new year's night, new year's eve, as far as running fires. I think the message that was sent was important. I honestly believe people listened and did not. It's my understanding that there were probably between 08 and 90 counties -- 80 and 90 counties that adopted some form of that order. It's my understanding that it has been challenged in court and upheld in a state district court out of harris county. Where we went was very important I think due to the time and all of that. Whether or not we need to maintain that beyond the outdoor burning ban that we currently have and our order prohibiting stick rockets and missiles with fins is there until we lift it. So we already have those two in place. Whether or not we want to continue that disaster declaration for all combustibles, I -- I guess what I知 trying to say is I feel like in a what we did was very important and people got the word. They got the message. Now, if we let this expire Friday, does that mean everything is going to run outside and drag out their box of fireworks and start shooting. I really don't think so. I think people understand how dry and how dangerous it is. But --
>> were there any -- any citations issued for persons that -- that violated what we have put on the books as far as prohibition of combustible materials such as fireworks and came in violation of that? Do we have any way of knowing that there were enforcement actions taken --
>> we can certainly check with the sheriff's office, I知 unaware.
>> you have not, okay. We will see if we can get that information. I just wanted to see what the deal was. What is -- is it --
>> okay. Fire marshal brussard just told me there were 38 citations issued over the weekend for fireworks.
>> 38 citations.
>> yes.
>> okay, sir, thank you.
>> pete, is the recommendation from your office today that we simply let the burn ban expire on Friday and see what happens?
>> I知 not sure that's my recommendation. I知 just trying to say what we have got in place worked. We currently have an outdoor burning ban, we currently have a fireworks order ban for the two prohibited one. The disaster declaration that was signed and the order that was signed on Friday is for the use of combustible materials outdoors. And it expires on Friday. What I知 trying to say is I think we made our point. If we want to go ahead and extend that for an additional week, I certainly don't have a problem with that, either too I don't
>> I don't have a problem with that.
>> no change, exactly.
>> so it appears listening to the news that these conditions will continue through the spring. And so -- so it's not that we are trying to limit any restrict anybody's freedom to express themselves, for celebrations. It's that we are responding to the hazardous conditions. And so that's what I would focus on. The -- the -- the hazardous conditions, do they continue or not.
>> they are -- yes, ma'am.
>> what are the other counties doing?
>> I have not had a chance to check with the rest of the counties to find out if they plan to extend those and carry them through or not. I can certainly make that information available to you.
>> I think the safe place to be, at least do it another week, that will allow us to find out what's everybody else doing.
>> okay.
>> I think the news last night was saying up in Williamson county they are expecting fireworks in a brush -- suspecting fireworks in a brush construction fire out there. It wasn't a celebration, it was related to foolishness, the kids are not back in school yet. I don't want this thing to expire literally right before the weekend. So I think another week is the safe place to be and then we see where everybody else is. We get a little bit of rain out of there.
>> clearly the conditions have not improved.
>> no, sir, they are not expected to improve throughout the rest of the week.
>> if in our Tuesday meeting of next week decide because of what happens weather-wise between now and then, we should terminate the order, we can terminate it then, notwithstanding that it terminates on its own by the -- by the following Friday.
>> yes, sir.
>> is there a motion?
>> move that we extend it.
>> that we at least add another seven days, which would take us through midnight Friday, January 13th, 2006.
>> there's an unlucky day. [laughter]
>> and is there a second?
>> second. Yes.
>> Commissioner Davis, I think.
>> discussion and motion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Was anybody else here on this item? Thank you very much, pete. Simon, all of you. You went above and beyond the call of duty during the last two or three weeks during with these issues for us. Thank you very much.
>> happy new year.
>> number 3, we have been dealing with the source of funding issue on that one, it had been resolved, should we call it up? Okay. Do we have somebody from the county attorney here? Or ms. Rio? And -- okay.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, January 4, 2006 10:36 AM