Comal County’s fire marshal lifted the burn ban for unincorporated areas today after heavy overnight rain drenched the area.
County commissioners voted to implement a burn ban Thursday after the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) rose to 517 points. By law, burn bans go into effect at 500 points.
The ban proved short-lived. It went into effect at 6 a.m. today but was rescinded by mid-morning as rain tallies rose as high as 1.5 inches as of 7 a.m., according to the U.S. National Weather Service Austin-San Antonio.
“Our KBDI dropped to 454 today,” Fire Marshal Kory Klabunde said. “This is not far from our 500 threshold. Please be very cautious with any fire you light and remain with it until the fire is extinguished. Also, please follow Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) burn rules.”
County spokesperson Cary Zayas said the county wants to give the community every safe opportunity to burn brush and manage land while balancing ongoing drought conditions.
Click here to learn more about TCEQ’s burn rules.
