County reinstates burn ban

County reinstates burn ban

Kendall County Fire Marshal Brady Constantine joked Monday that he is a weatherman’s best friend. For the second time this summer, rain immediately followed his declaration of a return to a county-wide burn ban.

Kendall County Commissioners Court voted Monday to reinstate the ban after Constantine presented evidence of dry conditions prevalent throughout the county.

The Keetch- Byram Drought Index, used to determine whether to ban open burning within the county, peaked at 604 over the weekend, prompting Constantine’s call to the six county fire chiefs for input on whether to reinstate the burn ban.

“When I establish the burn ban, I’m looking at the county as a whole,” he said. “Just because Comfort may get two inches (of rain), Boerne might not get any, versus River Mountain Ranch, so we’re still going to go to people doing controlled burns.”

The burn ban, he said, “simply says no outdoor burning at all.”

Constantine said he regularly consults with the county’s six fire chiefs during the seasonal dry period, seeking input, especially when the KBDI approaches the 500-level threshold, signifying excessive countywide drought.

He will present at each Kendall County Commissioners Court meeting, gauging the averages, the dryness and the opinions of the fire chiefs within the county. Constantine said the ban will be in place for 90 days before it can be renewed if no measurable precipitation occurs.

The ban means no outdoor burning will be permitted in the unincorporated areas of the county until further notice. Violations of the burn ban could cost offenders $200 for a first offense and more for repeated violations.

“We would need to see a pretty consistent drop on it, which means a lot of moisture but consistent moisture for a time period,” he said. “As a whole, it’ll take a little while to reach that point, given the dryness present throughout the entire county.”