Counties lift burn bans following rain

On Oct. 1, Burnet and Llano county officials lifted the burn bans that were in place for weeks due to lack of rain.

The restriction, typically calculated utilizing the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI), was put into place temporarily as a safety precaution to avoid the potential for runaway blazes.

As of Sept. 27, the KBDI in Llano County averaged 580, with some parts going to 650.

Burnet resident Hugh McCoy, who provides rainfall updates to the Burnet Bulletin, reported 2.95 inches of rain from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3. The rainfall was enough to convince officials to rescind the ban on outdoor burning.

The Texas Forest Service is regularly updating a map of outdoor burning status by county. For more information, go to burnban@tfs.tamu.edu.