SAN ANTONIO — Citing extremely dry conditions and a corresponding amount of flammable material, Bexar County leaders on Tuesday approved a burn ban expected to last through the summer or until fire officials say "a public safety hazard no longer exists."
The ban, effective immediately, means county residents can only burn waste in barrels with protective metal wire mesh screens. All other outdoor burning, with some exceptions, is off-limits, and anyone found to be in violation could be burned with a $500 fine.
It's been a relatively dry last few years for the area. Bexar County has been experiencing moderate drought to some extent since January 2022, and it saw extreme and exceptional drought for most of the first half of last year, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. And, as recently as Jan. 9, the entire county was experiencing extreme drought—the second-to-highest level of drought severity indicated by the agency.
The order has a life span of 90 days, meaning the latest it could expire is Sept. 16. Bexar County's fire marshal said in a press release that "constantly changing high wind conditions" exacerbates the fire threat.
Exceptions to the order include burning during firefighter training; public utility or natural gas operations; and farming. Fireworks remain permitted in unincorporated areas of Bexar County. Meanwhile, expected rain from the tropical developments this week could help with the bone-dry conditions.
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