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Commissioners adopt 30‑day burn ban for drier parts of Coryell County
Summary
Coryell County Commissioners approved a 30‑day burn ban after fire officials and commissioners cited recent fires and dry conditions in western parts of the county, citing KBDI data and Texas Forest Service maps to justify the temporary restriction.
The Coryell County Commissioners Court voted to adopt a 30‑day burn ban to reduce wildfire risk in drier areas of the county and to protect emergency responders.
Commissioner Matthews said fire departments recommended action after recent incidents. “We started to have just scheduled 17 crash fires since beginning of March,” Commissioner Matthews said, arguing the ban would “prevent a large fire because it's getting drier.” The court and staff discussed Keetch‑Byram Drought Index (KBDI) values and Texas Forest Service burn‑ban maps showing higher dryness in western portions of the county.
The presiding officer noted that state statute defines the legal burn window by wind speeds (greater than 6 mph and less than 23 mph) and that the court can adopt geographically tailored bans, though historically it has enacted countywide orders. After brief discussion about balancing landowner rights and public safety, the court approved the 30‑day ban by voice vote.
The order is intended as a short, precautionary measure to reduce pressure on local fire resources while weather patterns are monitored; the court said it can lift the ban earlier if conditions improve.
