Social media — most notably Nextdoor — was ablaze today with rumors Comal County will implement a permanent ban on outdoor burning when Commissioners Court meets Thursday, Nov. 12.
Officials spent a rainy afternoon trying to extinguish rumors about a routine agenda item “prohibiting all outdoor burning in the unincorporated areas of Comal County.”
Comal County spokesperson Cary Zayas used all caps and exclamation points in her own social media posts explaining exactly what that means.
“That is simply NOT TRUE!! … This is a STANDARD agenda item,” she chastised readers on Facebook. “It does NOT mean Commissioners Court is considering permanently banning outdoor burning. We regularly include this item on the agenda so Commissioners Court has the opportunity to reinstate a temporary burn ban if conditions warrant one. It also provides the required public notice that the matter could be discussed.”
Unincorporated areas of the county, such as Canyon Lake, currently are not under a burn ban.
The county lifted the burn ban Nov. 2 but urged residents to follow all Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) rules for burning during high-wind conditions.
By state law, county commissioners must implement a burn ban when the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) reaches 500 points on a scale of 0-800. Burn bans can be implemented for up to 90 days and may be lifted, lifted temporarily, or allowed to expire.
Today’s KBDI is 455 points, Zayas said.
“We understand that outdoor burning is important to many of our residents, especially those who live on larger properties and need to dispose of brush,” she said. “We also understand the importance of protecting our community from wildfires. Both of those things matter. And that’s why these decisions are based on conditions and public safety, not a desire to take away anyone’s ability to burn brush forever.”
“Thank you for your attention,” Precinct 4 Commissioner Jen Crownover added on her own Facebook page. “#SpreadFactsNOTFiction!”
She said she will talk to the county’s legal team about changing language on agenda items regarding burn bans to avoid future confusion.
Meanwhile, Zayas urged residents to share her post with others on social media.
“Help us get the facts out there.”
KBDI forecasts are issued by the Texas Forest Service to determine forest-fire potential using ground-based estimates of temperature and precipitation.
To check the county’s KBDI daily, click here. To check the status of the burn ban or to review TCEQ rules, visit comalcounty.gov.