County extends burn ban

The Travis County Commissioners Court has issued a new burn ban for the unincorporated areas of the county. The ban will expire on May 5, “unless further action is taken by the County Judge or County Fire Marshal prior to that date.” As Travis County Chief Fire Marshal Tony Callaway explained in a news release, “We continue to have elevated wildfire risk three or four days a week. 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.” The burn ban 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.” As always, be mindful when grilling outdoors and keep water nearby in case of a fire.