Outdoor burn ban in effect in Fort Bend County

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas -- Unincorporated Fort Bend County is now under an outdoor burn ban effective Aug. 27 at 5 p.m.

What residents need to know

The ban, which was approved by Fort Bend County commissioners at an Aug. 27 meeting, came after the Texas A&M Forest Service determined the whole county has drought conditions.

Fort Bend joined 200 other counties in Texas with a burn ban, including Wharton and Galveston counties, according to the Forest Service. Harris County does not have a burn ban in place.

The details

According to the ordinance, certain activities are exempt from the ban, including:

• Authorized burns related to public health and safety
• Firefighting training
• Public utility, natural gas pipeline or mining operations
• Certain uses for agriculture crops
• Burns conducted by a certified and insured prescribed burn manager

Violating the burn ban can result in a fine up to $500.

Looking ahead

The outdoor burn ban will remain in effect until rescinded but should not be more than 90 days unless extended by commissioners, per agenda documents.

This article comes from our ABC13 partners at Community Impact Newspapers.