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Court declines action on Texas Independence Day fireworks sales amid stage-2 drought
Summary
Emergency management staff warned of Stage 2 severe drought and high fire risk; the court discussed statutory deadlines and safety measures but took no action to authorize fireworks sales for Texas Independence Day.
Clinton Pitcher, the county's emergency management coordinator, briefed commissioners on wildfire risk and drought metrics and recommended against authorizing fireworks sales for Texas Independence Day because Lubbock County remains in Stage 2 (severe drought) and is included in the governor's disaster declaration for wildland-fire threat.
Pitcher explained the KBD (Keetch-Byram Drought Index) level and statutory windows for commissioners to restrict missile and rocket sales, noting the court would not be able to retroactively adopt restrictions for the Texas Independence Day period because relevant deadlines had already passed. "Our KBD in Lubbock County is... measured over time without rain and the conditions of the fuel loading," Pitcher said, and recommended not allowing sales this cycle. Commissioners discussed the safety trade-offs and timetable for future action; the court took no action on item 24 and directed staff to place the necessary deadlines on upcoming agendas.
