Burn ban in place as drought index rises

The Hill County Commissioners Court enacted a 90-day burn ban Tuesday morning, August 20.

Commissioners had discussed a possible ban the previous week, but the Keetch–Byram Drought Index (KBDI) was not high enough to warrant a burn ban at that time.

At last week’s meeting, the KBDI was at 610 in Hill County, higher than the 575 that indicates drought conditions. The drought index ranges from 0 to 800, with an index of 0 representing no moisture depletion and an index of 800 representing absolutely dry conditions.

According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, an index of 600-800 is generally associated with severe drought and increased wildfire occurrence. This can lead to intense, deep-burning fires with significant spotting problems. Live fuels will burn actively at these levels, and fires can be difficult to contain and control.

The order will be good for 90 days, but County Judge Justin Lewis pointed out that it can be lifted by the court at any time and is unlikely to be in effect for 90 days.

Emergency Services District (ESD) 1 President Ken Goins was in attendance and agreed that a burn ban needed to be implemented.

Lewis asked everyone to be aware of activity that could spark a fire, such as dragging chains from vehicles. He also asked Goins if departments could maintain burn ban signs in the area, adding that signs could be purchased by the county if needed. See the complete burn ban order on page 8.

In other action, the court voted to once again seek bids for an update to the county’s hazard mitigation plan. The county updates its plan approximately every five years, and a plan must be in place to ensure Hill County is eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants.

In late June, commissioners sought bids from outside experts to guide the planning process, which is mostly funded through federal grants. No bids were received, and a second request for proposals will now be issued. Lewis said that the county has identified additional websites to post the request on in an attempt to receive responses.

The plan identifies natural disaster risks and vulnerabilities that are common in the area and is used to create long-term strategies for protecting people and property.

Commissioners observed and recorded ESD 1 financial statements for the fiscal year that ended September 30, 2023.The district received a clean audit with no material findings.

The court approved a records management retention policy to guide how county offices store records at the Support Services Building. Lewis said that too many documents have been dumped in large quantities at the storage facility without being properly boxed and labeled. The housekeeping measure will ensure that documents are retained and destroyed properly.

A communication systems agreement between the county and Abbott ISD was approved that will allow the district to access the county’s public safety radio system.

Commissioners also approved a mutual aid agreement with Hillsboro ISD, allowing the district to include county facilities in its formal emergency evacuation plans.

Commissioners convened in executive session for economic development negotiations and discussion about personnel matters. No action was taken when open session resumed.

In open forum, a resident of Mohon Drive off of Farm Road 1713 in the Whitney area told the court that the area has drainage issues that have led to her front yard flooding and her house being damaged by water.

Lewis invited her to speak with her commissioner after court and said that these situations are why the county is now cracking down on subdivisions with new regulations. The judge explained that many subdivisions built in the 1970s through 1990s were unregulated, leaving the county without authority to address such issues.

ESD 1 President Goins also spoke during open forum, providing the court with a document that he said the district has compiled that lays out the rules the district must follow. The district and area volunteer fire departments have been debating the ESD’s ability to regulate member departments in recent weeks. Goins said that a committee is being formed to work through the document and determine what is legally required and what departments would like to change.

Commissioners closed the meeting with a budget workshop and planned to meet to approve a budget Tuesday, August 27.