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Yet another burn ban violation has occurred in Newton County. According to Newton Fire Department Captain Melanie Smith, the fire department along with the Texas A&M Forest Service responded shortly before 8:00 Monday evening when it was reported that heavy smoke was in the area of Highways 190 and 87. Captain Smith said firefighters discovered that someone had lit a pile of debris on fire next to the City Park and then left it. The blaze then spread into nearby brush and trees. Firefighters had to work quickly to stop the fire before it could threaten nearby buildings, including the Courthouse Square. Meanwhile, who was responsible for the fire remains under investigation.