Area firefighters battling grass fires on FM 701; local burn ban upgraded
By Tony Pilkington and Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
Area firefighters are on the scene of a grass fire in northeast Stephens County, just hours after the County Commissioners enhanced the burn ban that’s been in place since June 24.
According to a post on the Breckenridge Fire Department’s Facebook page, the BFD, along with several area volunteer fire departments, are on FM 701 where 3 to 4 grass fires are burning. The Texas Forestry Service has been called and is en route to assist.
The BFD encourages everyone to avoid any sort of travel in that area while first responders try to put out the fires.
In this morning’s Stephens County Commissioners meeting, County Fire Marshal Wayne McMullen recommended that the burn ban be continued and that more restrictions be put in place. The dry fuel in the area is making outdoor activities dangerous, he said.
“For the next 10 days or so, (the forecast) didn’t show any (high) temperatures below 100,” McMullen said. “It’s supposed to be over 100 for the next 10 days and no significant chances for rain. We need to leave the burn ban on and probably put on where if you’re out shredding, you have a spotter, if you’re welding, you have spotters and things like that.”
Based on the dry conditions and the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI), Stephens County has declared a local state of disaster and implemented a strict burn ban.
Key points of the burn ban include:
- No Outdoor Burning: All forms of outdoor burning are prohibited. Open fires are banned, but regular barbecues are OK, County Judge Michael Roach said.
- Emergency Activities: Any activity emitting flames or sparks, such as welding, must follow strict guidelines.
- Safety Measures: A spotter is required for these activities, with at least 50 gallons of water and appropriate dispensing equipment onsite.
- Notification Requirement: Individuals must provide the location of their activities to the Breckenridge Fire Department at 254-559-6242.
- Legal Consequences: Violations of this order may result in criminal prosecution.
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is an index used to determining forest fire potential. The drought index is based on a daily water balance, where a drought factor is balanced with precipitation and soil moisture (assumed to have a maximum storage capacity of 8-inches) and is expressed in hundredths of an inch of soil moisture depletion.
At this morning’s meeting, McMullen said drought conditions start at 575 on the KBDI. This morning, the KBDI was updated to show that Stephens County has an average KBDI of 579, with a low of 502 and a high of 635 in different areas of the county.
Cutline, top photo: Firefighters are battling several grass fires on FM 701 north of Breckenridge. (Photo courtesy of the Breckenridge Fire Department)
