Camp County now under burn ban

Camp County and the City of Pittsburg are under a burn ban as of Oct. 8. Most east Texas counties have been in and out of burn bans since early summer. Camp County was put under a burn ban for part of the summer, but it was lifted Sept. 9. Dry, windy conditions have made it necessary to reenact the ban.

All outdoor burning is prohibited with the exception of outdoor grilling or welding with supervision and appropriate fire suppression. A fine of $500 may be levied on those violating the ban.

As of Oct. 7, the Keetch Byram Drought Index for Camp County was an average of 646-679. The KBDI is used to determine the likelihood of a forest fire by measuring the daily water balance, including precipitation and soil moisture. The index ranges from 0 to 800 with 0 representing no moisture loss and 800 representing extremely dry conditions.

Temperature and wind also factor into the KBDI. For more information, call Camp County at (903) 856-3845.