Tom Green County Burn Ban in Effect

The Commissioners' Court of Tom Green County has issued a Burn Ban for all of Tom Green County that goes into effect starting today.

This includes all outdoor burning is prohibited in the unincorporated area of the county for 90 days from today, Feb. 2, unless the restrictions are terminated earlier based on a determination made by the Texas Forest Service or this Court.

The Ban does not prohibit cooking stoves fueled by "white gasoline" or outdoor cooking grills fueled by propane or natural gas. It also does not prohibit outdoor burning activities related to public health and safety that are authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for:

• Firefighter training
• Public utility, natural gas pipeline or mining operations
• Planting or harvesting of agricultural crops
• Burns that are conducted by the National Resources Conservation Service; Texas A&M Agri-life Research; Angelo State University; or a prescribed burn manager certified under Section 153.048, Natural Resources Code, and meet the standards of Section 153.047, Natural Resources Code.

Prior to commencement of a prescribed burn, the persons or entities conducting said burn shall notify and file a written copy of the proposed plan for the burn with all law enforcement agencies and fire departments having jurisdiction over the area(s) affected by the burn giving all details of the proposed burn including the names of all individuals, agencies, experts and landowner(s) involved in the burn.

If there is a violation of this Ban, it will be a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not to exceed $500.00.