Since the Smith County Burn Ban was issued a month ago, the county has seen 160 grass and brush fires and nearly 80 reports of illegal burning.

Since the Smith County burn ban was issued a month ago, the county has seen 160 grass and brush fires and nearly 80 reports of illegal burning.

“It’s been a busy month across the board,” said Smith County Fire Marshal Paul Findley, who gave an update on fire conditions to the Commissioners Court on Tuesday morning.

There have been 432 fire-related calls since Aug. 1, and 40 citations have been given for illegal burning. A burn ban violation is a Class C Misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500.

“The emergency responders in the county are doing an outstanding job during an extremely busy time,” Findley said, adding that the investigators in the Fire Marshal’s Office are doing a great job. “You’ve got a great team out at the EOC.”

He said their partnerships with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and Constables’ Offices have also been fantastic, with the other agencies helping them on calls day and night.

“The rains we received recently were welcome, but unfortunately, they were not enough to lift the burn ban,” Findley said.

Currently, the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) for Smith County is at an average of 758. The KBDI is a metric used to measure the effects of seasonal drought on fire potential. The numeric value ranges from 0 (no moisture depletion) to 800 (arid conditions).

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 72% of Smith County is in severe drought, 27% is in moderate drought, and less than 1% (in the southeast portion of the county/Troup area) is in extreme drought.

“It’s still dangerously dry out there as far as fire conditions,” Findley said. “I can’t stress enough how great the first responders are doing out there.”

Commissioner John Moore thanked all the billboard owners across the county for displaying burn ban messaging from Smith County for free to help spread the word.

“I appreciate all you have done, and your team,” Smith County Judge Neal Franklin said.

The burn ban order was issued Aug. 1 and will remain in effect for 90 days unless conditions improve and the Commissioners Court approves terminating the order early.

Fireworks, fire pits, fire barrels or any outdoor burning is prohibited.

Outdoor grilling is still allowed, but citizens should ensure that the grill or smoker contains all flames and includes a lid. Outdoor welding operations are also excluded from the burn ban if they are conducted following guidelines established by the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office. Welders must notify and register with the Fire Marshal’s Office in advance.

For more information on the burn ban, contact the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office at 903-590-2655.