Public Information Office 2300 Bloomdale Rd. Suite 4192 McKinney, Texas 75071 www.collincountytx.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 31, 2010

Contact: Eric Nishimoto, Public Information Officer, (972) 548-4772 or enishimoto@collincountytx.gov

Outdoor Burn Ban for Rural Collin County

(McKINNEY, Texas) – Beginning Wednesday, September 1, 2010, the unincorporated areas of Collin County will be under a burn ban for a period of 90 days, or until such time that conditions merit the lifting or extending of the ban.  The current drought index is 705, where an extreme fire danger exists in the 600 to 800 index range.
This ban does not prohibit outdoor burning for:

1. firefighter training
2. public utility, natural gas pipeline or mining operations
3. planting or harvesting of agricultural crops
4. burns conducted by a certified prescribed burn managers
5. ground fires for cooking or warmth in approved fire rings within public parks

City and town residents should contact their municipal officials for specific burn information or restrictions within individual city limits.

All residents are asked to report outdoor fires immediately, as current weather and ground conditions can cause even a small fire to spread rapidly.

This burn ban will be ratified by the Commissioners Court on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

For more information, please contact Fire Marshal Steve Deffibaugh at 972-548-5576 or sdeffibaugh@collincountytx.gov.

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