Burn Bans Active in Angelina and Shelby Counties as Dry Stretch Continues

It's no mystery that it's dry in Deep East Texas. I know that we saw a bit of rain over the weekend in Nacogdoches, and there have been a few other places that have gotten a stray shower here and there, but ultimately, we haven't gotten enough rain recently to dampen things much. That's why it was surprising to me to see how few counties have active burn bans.

Active Burn Bans in Deep East Texas, According to Texas A&M Forest Service

According to the Texas A&M Forest Service website as of Monday, August 10th, there are only two active burn bans in our Deep East Texas region - Angelina County and Shelby County. Two counties out of the 11 that make up Deep East Texas is pretty interesting.

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Now, keep in mind, I'm referring to Deep East Texas by the DETCOG region, which includes the counties of Angelina, Houston, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity and Tyler. There are some others right on the edge of the region that have active burn bans, including Cherokee, Rusk and Panola Counties.

Will the number of burn bans go up? I'd say that's a pretty safe bet, considering that the National Weather Service website doesn't show any significant rain chances in our forecast for the foreseeable future. But we're in Texas, and as you know, those forecasts can change pretty quickly.

READ MORE: Deep East Texas Heat is Pushing Past 100°, Check on Your Pets

Just because your county might not be in a burn ban right now doesn't mean that you should be any less careful. Please be cautious if you're doing any outdoor burning, grilling, etc. It might not even be a bad idea to hold off on burning until we're all completely out of active burn bans.