9 Big Country counties under burn ban as drought conditions worsen

BIG COUNTRY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Nine counties in the Big Country are currently under a burn ban as drought conditions worsen.

The Texas A&M Forest Service has reported the following counties are under a burn ban:

• Coleman
• Runnels
• Eastland
• Callahan
• Taylor
• Shackelford
• Jones
• Fisher
• Knox

Meteorologists from BigCountryHomepage.com provided an update on the drought conditions.

“Drought conditions continue to worsen, with more burn bans being implemented each week. Although recent rainfall was not included in this week’s update due to timing issues, it is unlikely to significantly impact the dry to moderate conditions reported for next week. With no additional rain and temperatures remaining above average, we will need much more precipitation to see any real improvement,” said KTAB Meteorologist Katalina Bell.

The Texas A&M Forest Service shared tips on how to extinguish a fire:

• Never leave a campfire unattended; allow the wood to burn completely to ash if possible.
• Pour water on all embers until the hissing sounds stop.
• Stir the campfire ashes and water with a shovel.
• Scape logs to remove embers.
• Stir and make sure everything is wet and cold to the touch