Three Newton County Constables vow zero tolerance for burn ban violators

Three Newton County Constables have issued a joint press release saying that they have a zero tolerance for burn ban violators. The statement was issued on Thursday from Precinct 1 Constable Colton Havard, Precinct 3 Constable Sonny White, and Precinct 4 Constable Howie Wonders. The lawmen vowed that anyone found burning in violation of the burn ban will receive a citation. This comes after multiple fire departments responded to a wildfire southeast of Newton on Tuesday afternoon which firefighters said was the result of a homeowner burning in spite of the burn ban. A Newton County deputy also responded, but no citation was issued. Sheriff Robert Burby explained that his department typically does not issue a citation on a first offense, unless it was egregious. This angered volunteer firefighters. The statement from the constables emphasized that notice of the burn ban has been thoroughly disseminated through the news media, burn ban signs, and social media posts. The lawmen said "Due to the extreme drought conditions, a burn ban was put in effect by the Commissioner’s Court on July 26, 2023. From what we have noticed even with the burn ban, people have ignored the dangers of outdoor burning. These fires are becoming out of control and we don't want to risk personal property damage or loss of life.” The statement went on to say “Our rural volunteer fire departments respond to these emergencies and leave their regular jobs and families behind and a lot of times utilize their personal equipment to save life and property.”