KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas ā The Kaufman County Commissioners' Court issued a burn ban on Tuesday, August 1 as North Texas dives deeper into drought.
KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas ā The Kaufman County Commissioners' Court issued a burn ban on Tuesday, August 1 as North Texas dives deeper into drought.
Fire Marshal Paul Ayres told the court that as the severe drought conditions facing Kaufman County worsen, there is a need to implement a burn ban. The burn ban which will remain in effect until October 30th, or until drought conditions improve, carries with it a violation of a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500.
A burn ban prohibits fires used for recreation, ceremony, disposal, and land clearing but does not apply to:
ā¢ Fires that are used for cooking (grills & smokers)
ā¢ Firefighter training
ā¢ Fires related to public health and safety if authorized by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
ā¢ Fires related to public utility, natural gas pipeline, or mining operations
ā¢ Fires related to planting or harvesting of agricultural crops
ā¢ Burns that are performed by a prescribed burn manager if it meets the standards set forth by the Natural Resources Code
It is always illegal to burn treated/painted wood; furniture; carpet; electrical wire insulation; plastics; appliances; building/construction materials; tires; heavy oils; asphaltic materials; potentially explosive materials; chemical wastes; household trash on the open ground; and any material that originates from outside the property where the burn is taking place. These materials must be taken to an approved solid waste disposal site.
NOTE: When a county is not NOT bunder a urn ban, some categories of outdoor burning are allowed in the unincorporated areas of the county. These include fires used for firefighter training; recreation, ceremonies, cooking, or warmth; disposal of household trash in a burn barrel equipped with a spark arrestor; land clearing; and prescribed burns.
