Mills County reinstates burn ban after wet season eases; fire chiefs consulted

MILLS COUNTY, Texas — Mills County commissioners voted Monday to reinstate a countywide burn ban effective the day of the meeting after consulting with local fire chiefs.

County staff and emergency services reported that after an unusually wet summer the county was moving into a drier late‑summer and early‑fall period. The county judge said he had contacted four fire chiefs, who recommended putting a ban back in place.

Deputy or county emergency staff noted that Mills County’s moisture percentile and the energy release component remained at relatively low levels during the recent season, but that moving into fall increases the county’s fire risk. Nearby Brown and Lampasas counties had already implemented burn bans, officials said.

The court passed a motion to reinstate the burn ban and directed staff to notify the four fire chiefs. Commissioners also authorized purchasing four new burn‑ban flags for precinct barns and four for the chiefs’ offices so officials can display the ban status.

Ending: the court instructed county staff to place the ban into effect immediately and to inform local fire chiefs that the ban has been reinstated.