Houston County Commissioners Adopt Temporary Burn Ban

By Greg Ritchie

Messenger Reporter

HOUSTON COUNTY — Citing a lack of rain and increasingly dry conditions, Houston County Commissioners Court adopted a temporary order Tuesday prohibiting outdoor burning in the county’s unincorporated areas.

The court approved the order Aug. 11 after considering a burn-ban order issued by County Judge Jim Lovell. The motion passed without opposition.

The order is scheduled to remain in effect through Sept. 29, 2026. Commissioners can revisit the ban at their next meeting and lift it earlier if conditions improve.

For the time being, outdoor burning is prohibited in the areas covered by the order. The order includes limited exceptions for approved prescribed burns and other circumstances outlined in the document.

Knowingly violating the burn ban is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500.

During the discussion, commissioners expressed hope that the ban would not need to be extended and could be lifted once rain returns and the fire danger decreases.

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]