Kerr County reinstates restricted burn ban, delegates authority to precinct commissioners

Judge Kelly presented an order to implement a restricted outdoor burning policy that restores earlier post-flood restrictions and delegates authority to precinct commissioners to impose or lift burn bans within their precincts based on local conditions.

Key restrictions in the order include that burning "shall commence no earlier than 1 hour after sunrise" and must be completed before sunset; burning is prohibited when surface wind speed exceeds 23 mph. Commissioners emphasized the county's geographic variability and the need for precinct-level discretion because some areas received substantially more rain than others. The court voted unanimously to authorize the county judge to sign the order adopting the restricted policy.

Officials urged residents to call the county burn-ban hotline before burning and warned that fines or forced fire-department responses are possible when bans are violated.