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(Photo/Alex Kielar) The county-wide burn ban is lifted, effective Saturday, Oct. 25, by Stephens County Judge Michael Roach on the advice of Breckenridge Fire Chief Malcolm Bufkin. Bufkin recommended the county keep it off but continue monitoring drought levels and other conditions. -
(Photo/Alex Kielar) Breckenridge Fire Chief Malcolm Bufkin speaks during the Stephens County Commissioners Court meeting Monday, Oct. 27 in which he relayed to the court that the county-wide burn ban lifted Saturday, Oct. 25 should remain off. -
(Photo/Alex Kielar) Breckenridge Fire Chief Malcolm Bufkin speaks during the Stephens County Commissioners Court meeting Monday, Oct. 27 in which he relayed to the court that the county-wide burn ban lifted Saturday, Oct. 25 should remain off.
The Stephens County-wide burn ban was lifted following recent rainfall and consultation with Breckenridge Fire Chief and county Fire Marshal Malcolm Bufkin.
The burn ban was officially lifted Saturday, Oct. 25 and was effective immediately, but county officials urged residents to remain vigilant.
“Have water and tools ready, watch the wind, never leave a fire unattended and comply with state laws and city rules,” County Judge Michael Roach said in a statement Saturday. “Thank you to our fire departments and first responders.”
Roach said that after having several calls with Bufkin over the weekend in which the fire chief noted several people wishing to burn piles, Bufkin felt it was now safe to do so.
The Keetch-Bryam Drought Index (KBDI) was reportedly in the 300s over the weekend, but has climbed back up to the 400s and 500s in parts of Stephens County.
However, Bufkin said he felt it was good to leave it off and just continue to monitor conditions.
“It’s not the dirt that we worry about, it’s the fuel on top that we worry about. So if we get a lot of dry heat and low-humidity weather… your fuel source will be volatile again,” Bufkin said at the Stephens County Commissioners Court meeting Monday, Oct. 27. “I think just watch it from meeting to meeting and see if we start getting an uptick or not.”
The county will monitor conditions and address the situation at the next commissioners court meeting Monday, Nov. 10.
“We’re getting some cooler days coming. Humidity seems to be staying up too and that’s our big thing,” Bufkin said. “You know as well as I do, we’ve fought grass fires on top of water before, so it can happen.”
Bufkin also noted that the public needed to be aware of who to contact if needed for the latest on burning.
“I think the public really needs to be sure to call the police dispatch,” he said. “Because if it’s bad, we’re going to tell them, ‘No don’t burn today,’ and we’ll let the dispatch know that information. Because at the fire department, we’re not always at the phone.”
