Travis County Commissioners Court
August 18, 2009,
Item 3
3.
consider and take appropriate action regarding the prohibition of outdoor burning in the unincorporated areas of Travis County.
>> good morning, judge, Commissioners, pete baldwin, emergency management.
since I was here last week, our drought index has continued to rise, it's not as rapid as it was before, but we are currently at 713 on the kbi scale.
kbdi scale.
in the short term forecast we have 10 days of 95 to 103-degree weather, with only very minor -- very minor percentages of -- of a chance of rain.
the long-term predictions say that we are going to have a wetter than normal fall and spring, but it just has not -- is not showing up yet.
the current order on outdoor burning will expire tomorrow, August the 19th.
so -- so mr.
baldwin do you have anything that you want to add to that?
>> no, like you said.
the long-range forecast is starting in the fall, but we are burning up right now, resources, you have seen what's going on in the western parts of the united states.
we are doing everything we can to keep all of the assets here in Texas because we're having just as bad of a fire season.
so -- so we're in -- we're in between the drought and the heat.
creates an unusual fire season.
so, therefore, you know, our recommendation is that we keep an outdoor burning ban in place.
>> for the benefit of -- execution me, for the benefit of the public, can you just elaborate just a little bit on how volatile things are?
i know that I see more small burnt patches along the roadways and things like that.
>> there are -- the small fuels are extremely dry.
and -- and with almost no rain, no dew, those fuels continue to be dry and can be ignited just from the raidant heat from the catalytic converters just from vehicles.
people not intentionally, but accidentally drag chains or brakes that get hot on the side of the road, sparks that fly off of vehicles from those items along with just a very light breeze and low humidity can cause a small fire and with any breeze and the -- and the lack of moisture in those small fuels, the fire can spread very rapidly.
>> may we take this opportunity to tell people to keep their cigarettes in the car.
because the bottom line is just the other day in your precinct, Commissioner, they were chasing three -- four spot fires down 290 because a trailer had blown a tire and was throwing sparks.
and -- and oak hill and Austin fire department were chasing those that were coming into the city of Austin.
that's how dry and tinder the vegetation is.
people need to keep cigarettes and any other lighted material inside the car.
>> do take those burn patches as a cautionary tale.
driving down ben white at lamar, there's a big old burn patch right there at the corner.
it happening everywhere, take them as a cautionary tale.
>> people who are driving down the roadways to pull off and talk on their cell phone, should probably look for a place where they are not pulling off on the grass?
>> that's correct.
if there's dry vegetation there, if at all possible, find a safe place off the roadway where there is no -- no vegetation available to start a fire.
>> right.
because those vehicle fires are fairly easy to determine because usually there's a burned vehicle right in the middle of it.
>> [laughter]
>> uh-huh.
>> the -- the current order expires when?
>> tomorrow.
august 19th.
>> okay.
>> move that we -- that we execute another order.
>> second.
>> discussion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
>> thanks.
>> thank you,.
>> thank y'all.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 3:07 PM
