Polk County Commissioner’s Court imposes 30‑day burn ban for unincorporated areas

Polk County’s Commissioner’s Court voted during an emergency meeting to impose a 30‑day burn ban in unincorporated areas after county staff reported worsening conditions and a recommendation from the Texas A&M Forest Service.

The court opened the session as an emergency meeting and cited Texas Government Code sections 551.045 and 551.047 as the legal basis for the special session. A court staff member told commissioners the county had been monitoring National Weather Service data and that the forestry service advised elevated fire conditions were likely to persist for weeks. “The recommendation from the forestry service is that, the fires elevated fire status is gonna be with us for a few weeks now and that it is time to go in burn ban after all the recent fires we’ve had this weekend,” the staff member said.

The presiding official moved to initiate a burn ban that would be enacted through the court and run for 30 days, which the official said would avoid the need to convene another emergency meeting to renew the restriction. Mister Robertson made the motion to approve the 30‑day ban, Commissioner Dubose seconded it, and the court took a voice vote; the presiding official said, “Motion carries.”

The record does not include a detailed roll‑call or individual vote tally; the court’s verbal record shows ayes were called and the motion was approved. After the vote the court approved a motion to adjourn; the clerk announced the time at 9:47 a.m. and participants noted returning at 10:00 a.m.

The ban covers unincorporated areas of Polk County only; the record does not specify exemptions, enforcement details, or an exact start time beyond the court’s action. The county cited the National Weather Service and the Texas A&M Forest Service as the basis for the emergency precaution.

Next steps were not detailed in the meeting record beyond the 30‑day duration; the court did not record a formal extension vote during this session.