35-acre fire in northeast Burnet County; drought precautions in effect
Local fire departments brought a 35-acre blaze under control on Sunday, March 29, in northeast Burnet County. Burnet County photo
A fire burned across 35 acres in northeast Burnet County on the afternoon of Sunday, March 29. The blaze was believed to have been started by the use of the recreational explosive, Tannerite.
According to a media release issued by the Burnet County Office of Emergency Management, several area fire departments responded to the fire at around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday at a property along RM 2340.
The blaze took approximately four and a half hours to contain and was fueled by an abundance of dry foliage left behind from the winter season. The release states that the fire was caused by “the assumed usage of Tannerite as part of a celebration.”
Burnet County is currently under a burn ban and has been since Feb. 10, 2026.
“(Sunday’s) events serve to highlight the danger that still exists from the freeze-cured, dead grasses that are leftover from last summer’s rains and ongoing drought conditions,” reads a statement from the Burnet County OEM.
Burnet County is currently at a moderate risk for fire danger according to the Keetch-Byram Drought Index. This is a common metric used by Texas counties to determine the threat of fire danger based on soil moisture and daily water balance. The scale ranges from 0-800, with lower ratings indicating lower fire danger and higher ratings indicating higher fire danger.
Soil moisture
As of Tuesday, March 31, the KBDI ratings in Burnet County are 172 on the low end and 459 on the high end, with an average rating of 373.
According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, a rating of 200-400 indicates: 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.
Groundwater drought stage
Burnet County was recently moved up to Stage 3 drought restrictions by the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District on March 18.
Under this rating, groundwater users are asked to voluntarily reduce usage by 20 percent.
Welding permits now required in northeast Burnet County
Starting on April 1, 2026, contractors will be required to obtain permits before welding within the confines of Burnet County Emergency Services District No. 8, which includes most of northeast Burnet County. Fence building and building construction are included in this requirement.
This was announced in a Facebook post by ESD No. 8 on Saturday, March 28.
“This is in response to the growing number of wildfires caused by welding operations, it outlines fire safety requirements for such operations,” reads the post. “This permit does not apply to private individuals on their own property.”
According to the Burnet County OEM, many wildfires in the county are caused by welding or cutting activity.
Using Facebook to declare a requirement for a welding license is makes no sense. Facebook is not used by all folks and is certainly not official.