Mills County Commissioners Court voted to reinstate a county burn ban effective immediately, citing a recent rise in fires and a drought index that emergency-management staff said crossed a commonly used trigger point.

Judge Williams moved to "put the burn ban back on as of today," and the motion passed with a recorded unanimous assent from those present. The vote followed testimony from David Schwartz, a fire chief and county emergency-management contact, that the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) averaged about 575 in recent days and that the county typically begins heightened fire-precaution activity around that level.

"At 5:50, we're gonna start looking at all the different fire critical fire parameters," David Schwartz told the Court, explaining that averaging 575 suggests the county is moving toward the 600 range at which fires are more likely to "pop off." He and other staff said the Texas A&M Forest Service reports and county KBDI averages are used to give local officials lead time.

Commissioners said they had contacted the county's volunteer fire chiefs; three of four chiefs supported imposing the ban. Judge Williams noted that the Texas Government Code gives the county judge emergency authority under chapter 418 for short-term emergency orders and that Government Code section 3.25 provides the commissioners a route to implement burn restrictions as well.

Court members discussed implementation details, including signage and who is responsible for signs on major thoroughfares; a sheriff's office representative said TxDOT controls signs on state highways and would be the contact for those locations. Commissioners also clarified the ban would allow certain controlled, safe burning where the order explicitly permits it; one commissioner said the order language would be adjusted to describe allowed methods (for example, a proper burn pit) rather than a blanket prohibition on all trash burning.

Judge Williams said the ban would remain in effect immediately and could be revisited at the Court's next regular meeting or lifted earlier if conditions change. Staff were assigned to post signage where feasible and to coordinate with fire chiefs about enforcement and public notice.