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Titus County Commissioners Court moves to approve 13-day outdoor burning restriction amid dry conditions
Summary
At a February meeting, the Titus County Commissioners Court moved to adopt an emergency order banning outdoor burning for 13 days, citing extremely dry conditions, high winds and multiple recent fires; the transcript records motion and seconds but does not capture a final vote tally.
At its February meeting, the Titus County Commissioners Court moved to approve an emergency order that would ban outdoor burning in Titus County for 13 days, effective immediately, citing extreme dryness and high winds that have led to recent fires.
A commissioner proposing the order said the county was under "extremely dry conditions" and that the court needed to formalize a restriction so it would be legally enforceable. The speaker said the county judge had earlier issued a declaration but argued the judge ‘‘does not have the authority to put a burn ban on by itself’’ unless a disaster is declared, and that the court must act for enforcement to be valid.
Jerry Ward, the county's emergency management coordinator, told the court he had been consulted about the proposal and asked whether a recent fire had been a "10-acre" blaze, noting tall sage grass in some areas could ignite and spread rapidly. "It could be very bad if that caught on fire," Ward said, describing the local fire risk.
The speaker also said they had spoken with "Chief Mcra" and with TAC legal about how to draft the order. A court member noted weather forecasts showed no measurable rainfall for the next seven days, and urged making the order "legal" so the sheriff’s department could issue citations for burning without legal uncertainty.
Meeting discussion recorded in the transcript shows the commissioner said, "I'm going to make a motion that we approve this," and later participants referenced seconds to the motion, naming Dana and Jeff in the exchange. The transcript ends before a recorded roll call or final tally, so the court’s formal vote and the order’s legal effect are not captured in the record provided.
The proposal would restrict outdoor burning of brush and trash; the transcript does not include an effective enforcement plan, a start/end time beyond the 13-day period, or a recorded vote. The court discussion cited the Texas Emergency Management Framework and the Texas Local Government Code as legal context for the action.
Next steps were not included in the transcript excerpt: the record ends as members moved to approve and asked for an affirmative vote. The court may publish an official order and vote record in its minutes or on the county website.
