Stephens County Commissioners voted today, Sept. 11, to continue the county-wide fire ban for at least two more weeks.
According to Breckenridge Fire Chief Calvin Cheney, the county continues to experience dry conditions.
“It’s just severely dry,” he said. “We got a little bit rain, but it’s not been county-wide.”
He said that on Friday night a grass fire was caused by somebody burning brush and then the fire got away from them.
“It’s just not the time right now to lift the burn ban,” he said. “There will be time, but it’s just not right now.”
Additionally, on the Breckenridge Fire Department’s Facebook page, Chaney cautions hunters to be careful when parking their vehicles in high and dry grass. He also said contained fires in barbecue pits are allowed, but fires for entertainment are not.
“No bonfires or open fires,” he said. “If you have a confined fire you’re cooking on, then yes.”
He said they haven’t had any problems this year, but in the past they’ve had a lot of calls when hunting season starts.
“They’re (hunters) just not aware how dry it is right now,” he said. “We just try to get that out there because they come in and don’t know the burn ban is on.”
He said if hunters read the BFD’s Facebook page, it’s one more way to get the word out in case they don’t see the burn ban flags downtown at the courthouse
He also warned on the Facebook page not to use gas and oil lines that run on top of the ground for target practice. He said they and may emit dangerous gases and even flames.
Story by Tony Pilkington
