Posted: Tue, 6 Dec 2011 04:33 PM - 16,732 Readers

By: Joe Olivieri

Citing recent rains, the Travis County Commissioners Court allowed outdoor burning for a third consecutive week.

Travis County Fire Marshal Hershel Lee and Danny Hobby, Emergency Services executive manager, briefed the court during its Dec. 6 meeting.

Lee said 3 inches of rain dropped the drought index average from almost 500 last week to 342 on a 0–800 scale, in which zero represents saturation and 800 a complete lack of moisture. The rain helped to raise the water level at Lake Travis and soak debris that would be dangerous in drier conditions, he said.

The county voted unanimously to lift the ban Nov. 22, and then kept it off a week later by a 4–1 vote. Commissioner Karen Huber cast the opposing vote on Nov. 29 and said areas of western Travis County were still at risk.

This week, Huber said she felt enough rain had fallen to put off the ban for another week.

Lifting the ban allows residents in unincorporated areas of the county to burn debris that may have accumulated earlier in the year. The county recommends that residents call the fire department before burning, monitor fires at all times and keep fires small and manageable.

For details on what is allowed now that the burn ban has been lifted, visit the Travis County Fire Marshal's web site.