Williamson County Lifts Burn Ban

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — The burn ban for unincorporated areas of Williamson County was lifted on Monday, officials said.

County Judge Bill Gravell lifted the burn ban at 11 a.m., according to an advisory sent to Patch via email. Recent rain, coupled with cooler weather, has mitigated the tinderbox conditions across the landscape amid scorching summer heat.

Still, county officials continue to urge residents in the affected area to exercise county when undertaking controlled burns: "Please be cautious with any outdoor burning activity," officials wrote. "Outdoor burning must be conducted under state regulations found in Texas Administrative Code Section 30 TAC 111.219."

As a further safeguard, county officials outlined a number of safety tips for residents to follow:

• Contact your local fire department before engaging in controlled burns. Some fire departments may require a burn permit.
• Contact Williamson County Communications to report controlled burns at (512) 864-8282, pressing 3 and then 1. Williamson County Communications staff can alert residents to any burning restrictions that might be in place.