Breckenridge Texan

By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan

At their meeting on Monday morning, March 10, the Stephens County Commissioners voted to implement a burn ban for the county, joining other counties in the area that are banning outdoor burning in light of weather forecasts for dry weather and high winds.

The order bans all outdoor burning in the unincorporated area of Stephens County, with a few exceptions; outdoor burning is always banned within the city limits of Breckenridge. Click here to read the full burn ban order.

According to the National Weather Service, Friday’s weather is supposed to be warm and sunny with strong winds from the southwest. Winds are expected to be 20-25 miles per hour, increasing to 30-35 mph in the afternoon, with gusts up to 50 mph.

The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) for Stephens County currently ranges from 24 to 306 with an average of 180. Much of the county is in the 200-300 range with some areas in the northern part of the county in the 0-200 range. A couple of small ares in the central portion of the county are in the 300-400 range.

The 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. It is a closed system ranging from 0 to 800, where 0 represents a saturated soil, and 800 an absolutely dry soil.

The scale is defined as:

• 0 – 200: Soil moisture and large class fuel moistures are high and do not contribute much to fire intensity. Typical of early spring following winter precipitation.
• 200 – 400: Fuels are beginning to dry and contribute to wildfire intensity. Heavier fuels will still not readily ignite and burn. This is often seen in late spring or early summer.
• 400 – 600: Lower litter and duff layers contribute to fire intensity and will burn actively. Wildfire intensity begins to increase significantly. Larger fuels could burn or smoulder for several days. This is often seen in late summer and early fall.
• 600 – 800: Often associated with more severe drought with increased wildfire occurrence. Intense, deep-burning fires with extreme intensities can be expected. Live fuels can also be expected to burn actively at these levels.

Stephens County has experienced several wildfires lately, including eight fires on Friday reportedly caused by a chain being dragged behind a vehicle.

The NWS Fort Worth Office includes Stephens County in a “critical fire threat” area across north-central Texas on Friday.

Local officials and the NWS remind area residents to do their part to prevent fires, including:

• Avoid outdoor burning
• Secure tow chains
• Never toss lit cigarettes
• Don’t drive on a flat
• Don’t pull over into the grass on the side of the road and sit there with your vehicle running
• Be cautious and watchful when using machinery
• If you see smoke, call 9-1-1 immediately to report it