County’s burn ban to return on Friday

Hays County residents who have brush or other debris to burn have just a few days to take care of it before the county burn ban returns.

At their Tuesday morning meeting, county commissioners voted to reinstate the burn ban effective Friday, July 20. 

Precinct 4 Commissioner Ray Whisenant initially made a motion to reinstate the burn ban the same day, especially since there is no rain in the forecast for the next five to 10 days and temperatures are forecast to be in the triple digits.

“I think we could do a little diligence here,” he said. “I have a brush pile that needs to be burned, but I’m not going to start a fire on my property.”

Precinct 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe said the county fire marshal had heard a report of a fire in north Hays County, and it was the first report of fire in that area since last week.

“The fire marshal said he would support whatever the commissioners court’s decision is,” Ingalsbe said.

“Maybe we could give people a day or two, knowing that some are just now finding out that the ban was lifted,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell said. He noted that as far as the weather forecast and potential drought conditions, “Nothing’s getting better.” 

In other business, commissioners authorized Hays County Historical Commission Chair Kate Johnson and the director of the commission’s documentary about the history of ranching to travel to Pennsylvania to visit the site where the Buck Winn murals are being restored. The murals eventually will be placed in the Hays County Government Center. Part of the restoration process will be filmed for the documentary. No county funds are required for the trip.

Commissioners also approved a grant to help fund the historical commission’s Memorial Day Flood 2015 documentary.