Published: June 22, 2009 08:43 pm      

Burn ban implemented in OC

During a Monday meeting of the Orange County commissioners court, a burn ban was enacted and commissioners agreed to declare a local state of emergency because of the fire hazards in Orange County.

The burn ban became effective immediately following Orange County Judge Carl Thibodeaux’s signature. The burn ban will remain in effect until the order is removed by the court. People found violating the burn ban could face a fine.

County officials will immediately began placing red flags at various locations indicating the burn ban is in place. These locations include the Orange County Courthouse, Vidor Sub Courthouse, Health and Code Compliance Office, Claiborne Park, and Orange County Emergency Service Districts No.1 and 2.

The flags will be displayed during the entirety of the burn ban to aid residents as to the status of the ban. Information can also be obtained on the county website at www.co.orange.tx.us and following the Emergency Management link.

According to Jeff Kelley, emergency management coordinator, there have been several recent fires in Orange County.

Officials have used information from several sources to help determine the necessity of a burn ban.

Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is an index used to determining forest fire potential. The drought index is based on a daily water balance, where a drought factor is balanced with precipitation and soil moisture (assumed to have a maximum storage capacity of 8-inches) and is expressed in hundredths of an inch of soil moisture depletion.

The drought index ranges from 0 to 800, where a drought index of 0 represents no moisture depletion, and an index of 800 represents absolutely dry conditions. Presently, this index is derived from ground based estimates of temperature and precipitation derived from weather stations and interpolated manually by experts at the Texas Forest Service for counties across the state. Researchers at Texas A&M University are working with the TFS to derive this index from AVHRR satellite data and NEXRAD radar rainfall within a GIS, according to the Texas Weather Connection.

Officials with the National Weather Service are forecasting extreme drought conditions in the area. The Orange County Emergency Operations Center will be fully activated and mobilized if needed.

In other county business, commissioners filed into the minutes a direct deposit from the State Comptroller of Public Accounts in the amount of $371,794. These funds represent the 1/2 cent sales and use allocation for the month of April 2009. The funds have been credited to the general operating fund.

Also filed into the minutes was the 2009 Orange County Jail Inspection Report. Sheriff Keith Merritt recognized his jail staff for the exemplary work and contributions toward achieving a prefect score with zero deficiencies for the 11th consecutive year.

“I am deeply honored and pleased,” Merritt said.



Debby Schamber is a reporter for the Orange Leader. She can be reached at 409-883-3571 ext. 2603 or at dschamber@orangeleader.com.