Several East Texas counties enact burn bans

EAST TEXAS (KTRE) - Multiple East Texas counties and municipalities are enacting burn bans in response to recent dry weather. Sabine County Commissioners Court has enacted a 90-day burn ban as of Monday, July 24. Anderson County Judge Carey McKinney has enacted a burn ban effective immediately. This burn ban has been extended for 90 days as of Monday, July 24. Angelina County has banned burning effective Thursday, July 20. According to a release, the ban will remain in effect for seven days unless extended by the Angelina County Commissioner’s Court. Cherokee County Judge Chris Davis enacted a burn ban effective immediately. Houston County Judge Jim Lovell has enacted a county-wide burn ban effective immediately. As of Wednesday morning, all of Houston County, including the City of Crockett, is under a burn ban until further notice. Jasper County issued a burn ban on July 21 as part of a Declaration of Disaster and Order Restricting Outdoor Burning. It will remain in effect for seven days unless rescinded or renewed. Nacogdoches County Judge Greg Sowell has enacted a burn ban effective immediately. A burn ban is also in effect for Newton County, according to a declaration issued by County Judge Ronald Cochran. This order will be in place for seven days unless it’s extended. Polk County also issued a burn ban. Polk County Emergency Management stated, “Today, County Judge Sydney Murphy issued a Local Disaster Declaration that includes an Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning for the unincorporated areas of the County due to the dry weather conditions and the threat of wildfire. The purpose of the order is the mitigation of the hazard posed by wildfires by curtailing the practice of outdoor burning.”