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2012 August 07 Entry

County approves 30-day burn ban

By Benjamin Wermund
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Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 12:24 PM

After leaving a burn ban on the table for several weeks, Williamson County Commissioners today voted to put it in place for 30 days.

“I’m getting increasingly more concerned,” County Judge Dan A. Gattis said, before moving to instate the ban. Gattis joked that for him to want a ban, conditions have to be pretty bad.

Williamson County Emergency Services Director John Sneed told the court that the north and west portions of the county are already very dry and conditions will probably only worsen with seven to 10 days of severe heat and only a slight chance for rain are in the forecast.

“I think we’ve been very diligent in allowing our citizens to burn and unfortunately our conditions are just getting worse,” Sneed told the court, which voted unanimously to put the ban in place for 30 days with the stipulation that the county judge can remove the ban at any point if conditions improve.

According to a news release by the county, a person violates the ban if they burn any combustible material outside of an enclosure which serves to contain all flames or sparks, or orders such burning by others. The burn ban prohibits the burning of household yard waste, such as leaves, grass, brush and other yard trimmings. It also prohibits burning to clear land of trees, stumps, shrubbery, or other natural vegetation.

It is a Class C Misdemeanor that is punishable by a fine up to $500, according to the release.

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