Travis County Commissioners Court
January 22, 2008
Item 5
>> number 5 is to consider and take appropriate on an order prohibiting outdoor burning in the unincorporated area of Travis County.
>> after polling the fire chiefs yesterday and getting results back and the weather forecasters, it is going to be our recommendation that we leave the ban in place. We have had a quarter to a third of an inch over a couple of rains we've had. Our projected forecast over the next five days is that amount or less, small amounts as we go along. Our large fuels are benefitting from this because it's slow -- it's penetrating, but the fuels that are so heavily laden, they'll dry out with the next front that comes through. We had a large brush fire yesterday, day before, in southeast Travis County. It's still happening. Based upon the e-mail votes that I received from our fire chiefs and based upon our weather forecast our recommendation is we leave it as it is and revisit is next week.
>> so when our fire chiefs vote, their vote is based on fire-related reasoning?
>> their vote is based on what they satisfy z in their districts.
>> so we should not visualize fire chiefs tossing coins.
>> no. I had a couple of them say we could lift it for a week. I would prefer not to get into that rollercoaster of it's off, it's on type of scenario, but the majority of them that sent in replies all felt that it should remain in place.
>> so by taking no action today we actually leave the order in place.
>> judge, there is a way to legally be able to burn something if you have -- during a period like this, right?
>> that's something that the public needs to understand. Shore.
>> there's a process by which they can do a controlled burn.
>> there are exejses in our order and we do allow for prescribed burns if they meet the statutes set out by tceq and those agencies that regulate that. I have spoken with balcones canyon land. They are need to go do some burns this time of year. Most of the agencies do prescribe burns. And they are working very closely with chief 10son up there at the esp one and only if those conditions are met.
>> that's the kind of thing that I wanted people to hear because there are phone calls that you get that say, well, athlete that y'all passed the burn ban and yet I know that there's something burning something.
>> I asked them to check the burn ban with the local fire chief and also my office and the fire marshal's office, so I can walk down and tell all our dispatchers that if you receive calls about smoke in this area, here's what's going on. So we try to minimize that.
>> when the average resident can do a burn in the backyard if it's covered.
>> right.
>> only if it's a container that contains all sparks and flame. Not throw everything in a barrel and let the flames and ashes be coming out of it. It has to be a caned device. He.
>> they can still barbecue in a barbecue pit because those have lids that are designed to contain all of that. But just to have an open fire pit, open barrel, no, sir.
>> but a barrel with a lid over it.
>> if it had a lid on it and there were no flame or ashes -- being able to escape from it, then that would fall within the realm of our order.
>> but it's best not to if you can.
>> at this point we've seen too many of them get away from us.
>> we'll have it back on this week in is case we get enough rain. Thanks.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, January 23, 2008 8:09 PM