New burn ban issued for unincorporated areas of Travis County

AUSTIN, Texas - The Travis County Commissioners Court has voted to issue a new burn ban for the unincorporated areas of the county, beginning Tuesday, April 6, 2021. 

The burn ban will expire on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, unless further action is taken by the county judge or county fire marshal prior to that date.

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The Travis County Fire Marshal urges caution when conducting outdoor grilling and barbecuing. It is also recommended residents have water nearby in case of a fire. Call 9-1-1 immediately if a fire gets out of control. 

The ban on outdoor burning does not affect prescribed burns conducted under the supervision of a prescription burn manager. It also does not affect outdoor welding, cutting or grinding operations, and outdoor hot works operations conducted in accordance with the guidelines established by the Travis County Fire Marshal’s Office.

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"We continue to have elevated wildfire risk three or four days a week," said Travis County Chief Fire Marshal Tony Callaway in a news release. "The amount of rain we received was not sufficient to improve the dry conditions. Additionally, the National Weather Service is forecasting a potential high to extreme fire danger for this week. We’ll continue to evaluate the conditions, but at this time, issuing a new burn ban before the current one expires Wednesday, April 7, is necessary to ensure the public’s safety."