Travis County Commissioners Court
Tuesday, November 15, 2011 (Agenda)
Item 2
>> number 2, consider and take appropriate action on an order concerning outdoor burning in unincorporated areas of Travis County.
>> good morning, judge, Commissioners, herschel lee, Travis County fire marshal.
the current drought index in Travis County is 654.
for the long-term forecast, unfortunately, it's drier than normal and warmer than normal and who would have thought last December we would still be talking about it 11 months later.
but the long term is expected to be much like we have been.
for the short-term forecast, probably raining outside right now and I have an umbrella in the next room and I told someone it's going to be difficult to talk about a burn ban while you are carrying an umbrella, but by this afternoon they are expecting the sun to be out and tomorrow and the next days the winds will start blowing as the two cold fronts come through.
so my recommendation to the court is to enact a new burn ban.
the current one will expire on the 16th.
enact a new burn ban which will run through December 14th.
if the rain slows down and persists today, I will visit with the fire chiefs and if we think it could be done safely, we will -- I will lift that burn ban in consultation with the judge and the court, but my recommendation for right now is to put the burn ban in place and then if we need to lift it, we can, but if we don't put it in place, we can't consider that for another seven days and I think that would be -- not be a good thing to do.
we have had some discussions over the last three or four days and over the weekend with some farmers.
there are some people that are burning, but they are burning under exemptions that are allowed by state law and the county's burn ban.
these have to do generally with pecan orchards, but in our review of what they are doing, it is being done in accordance with your burn ban.
but my recommendation for today is to enact a new burn ban.
>> so a lot will turn on how much water we get today.
>> correct.
>> questions, comments?
>> this will go through when?
>> it will go through December 14th.
>> I have a question, judge.
>> Commissioner Eckhardt.
>> herschel, can you update us on your efforts in collaboration with t.n.r.
with regard to assisting folks how to get rid of their brush that they would otherwise be burning?
where they can take it, how to get it there and that kind of thing?
because I know we are getting an accumulation of brush and what would normally be burned in the rural areas.
>> and it is a concern and we do get a few calls about that, but short of burning the grinding and mulching or composting of brush is a possibility, and that generally will only work when you are talking about clearing your defensible space just in and around your home.
but if you are talking about clearing 100 acres, grinding and put it back in the same area may be a possibility.
grinding and chipping and putting it in the same area.
but if you have a large area you are want to go clear for farming, it almost has to be stored in a safe manner until -- it either decomposes on its own or there comes a time when it can be burned safely.
>> thank you.
>> move that we follow the recommendation and basically approve a new burn ban to expire December 14, 2011.
>> second.
>> discussion on the motion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
we'll keep carrying this week to week in case we need action.
thank you.
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