Burn bans remain despite cooler weather
Overgrowth on the side of U.S. 281 just north of Marble Falls could easily serve as a kindling for a fire under the current, dry conditions in the Highland Lakes. Burnet and Llano counties are under burn bans this fall unless conditions improve. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Burnet and Llano counties are keeping their burn bans on as the landscape continues to dry out this fall. Temperatures are falling and there could be rain on the way, but for now, fire danger is on the rise.
“The forecast fire danger is very high, the KBDI is 400-600,” Llano County Emergency Management Coordinator Gilbert Bennett told the Llano County Commissioners Court on Monday, Nov. 10. “All of the firemen are saying leave (the burn ban) on.”
Bennett was referring to the Keetch-Byram Drought Index, a 0-800 scale used by Texas counties to determine the relative risk of fire danger based on precipitation levels and overall soil moisture.
As of Friday, Nov. 14, Llano County is at an average of 492 on the scale and up to a 594 in some areas. According to the KBDI, this puts the county at a significant risk for wildfires.
Following Bennett’s presentation, the Llano County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to table talk of removing the burn ban.
Burnet County is seeing similar conditions to Llano County with an average KBDI rating of 466 and some areas seeing up to 572 on the scale. The Burnet County Commissioners Court also kept their burn ban going after tabling the matter during a Thursday, Nov. 13 meeting.
While autumn storms in late October brought a few inches of rain to the Highland Lakes, the fall overall has been fairly dry, with no other significant precipitation.
The overgrowth of foliage left behind by summer rain and the latest fall storm is also a cause for concern according to Bennett.
“The growth is now just kindling waiting to happen,” he told DailyTrib. “We need to be extra cautious. To have a fire you just need oxygen, fuel, and heat. A fire can happen in the winter, you just never know.”
Highs and lows in Burnet and Llano counties have been hovering in the 80s and 60s, and they are expected to keep dropping. According to current National Weather Service forecasts, there are chances for showers and thunderstorms starting on Tuesday, Nov. 18 that extend until at least Thursday, Nov. 20.