CAMERON, Texas — Milam County re-issued its burn ban Sunday, just two months after lifting the previous one.
- There were seven fires over the weekend, most caused by burns that "escaped containment."
- Fire Marshal Joshua Todd says dry vegetation and weather conditions impacted their decision to issue the burn ban.
- The burn ban will remain in place for the rest of the week, but Milam County Commissioners will meet to discuss whether they need to extend it.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
There's been fire after fire in Milam County recently.
"I knew it was not safe to burn anyway. It's been windy and too much dry weather," Stanley Price, a resident, said.
A total of seven fires happened over the weekend.
"For those couple of fires that happened over the weekend, I don't know if you got any reports of what they were caused by?," 15ABC asked.
"Yeah, so there were several causes this weekend. We had a total of seven fires, but a couple of the fires were controlled burns that escaped containment," Fire Marshal Joshua Todd said.
Now, the county is re-issuing its burn ban, precisely two months after lifting the last one.
"It's concerning from a wildfire perspective, and we want to limit any outdoor burning or ignition sources that could create fires," he said.
Fire Marshal Joshua Todd told 15ABC the decision is based on the weather and current conditions.
"So, even though we've had rain in the recent past, these winter grasses dry out, and fires progress very rapidly through what we consider to be flashier fuels," he said.
He says he wants to keep neighbors safe and encourages them to obey the rules, and neighbors like Stanley told 15ABC they're happy about the burn ban.
"I'm glad they did," Price said.
"How important is it for people to be responsible burning?," 15ABC said.
"They just need to be sure that whatever they're burning burns and doesn't spread. That's the main thing," Price said.
