Comal County commissioners Thursday extended the current burn ban for another 90 days.
Comal County’s Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) was 703 on Wednesday.
The burn ban normally goes into effect when the KBDI reaches 500.
“We’re just not getting any significant rainfall,” Fire Marshal Kory Klabunde said. Showers “here and there” aren’t helping and Friday’s cold front will usher in high winds and drier conditions that cause “bad fire danger.”
Fire pits, burn barrels, chimineas and any other outdoor fire are prohibited during the burn ban.
Only barbecue pits that are off the ground and have lids to contain sparks and flames can be used for cooking purposes only.
KBDI is used to determine forest fire potential and is an index based on a daily water balance, where a drought factor is balanced with precipitation and soil moisture.
KBDI ranges from 0 to 800, where a drought index of 0 represents no moisture depletion and an index of 800 represents absolutely dry conditions.
Can you use a propane fired fire pit during a burn ban?