County Commissioners Meet to Assess Burn Ban Status
Palo Pinto County Fire Marshal Ricky Hunter spoke to the Commissioner’s Court in a special session today to discuss the Burn Ban.
Hunter recommended the Burn Ban be reinstated, not because of dangerous conditions, but because of decreasing water levels at area reservoirs that supply water to communities for fire protection.
After speaking with Mineral Wells Fire Chief Ryan Dunn and the City’s Manager Dean Sullivan regarding the rapidly decreasing levels of Lake Palo Pinto, which serves as the main water source for the County, Hunter suggested as a preventative measure the ban be put back on.
His suggestion was overruled and Commissioners voted 4-0 to leave the burn ban off.
Fire Chief Ryan Dunn told MWAN that he was surprised the Court didn’t reinstate the ban.
“Water conservation is going to be difficult at the current rate the lake is decreasing,” said Chief Dunn.
County Judge Shane Long said they will readdress the situation at the next meeting on Monday April 10th.
