With wind gusts possibly as high as 65mph, Dallas media outlets are predicting that some areas may experience the most dangerous threat of fire, particularly fast-moving grass fires, in 16 years. The extreme fire danger caused the National Weather Service to issue a fire weather watch and Fannin County Judge Newt Cunningham has issued a Disaster Declaration Related to the Risk of Wildfires.

DISASTER DECLARATION RELATED TO RISK OF WILDFIRES

WHEREAS, in accordance with provision of Section 418.108 of the Texas Government Code, the Fannin County Judge has found that circumstances present in all or part of Fannin County create a public safety hazard that would be exacerbated by outdoor burning; and

WHEREAS, Fannin County is experiencing unusual high winds that are creating extremely dry conditions; and

WHEREAS, these dry conditions pose the threat of large, dangerous and fast-moving wildfires; and

WHEREAS, such fires have the potential of endangering lives and damaging property on a large scale; and

WHEREAS, the Texas Government Code Chapter 418 gives the county judge the power to declare a local disaster within the county "if the threat of disaster is imminent"; and

WHEREAS, the magnitude of the potential damage and the rapidity with which such a fire could escalate to major proportions constitute an imminent threat of disaster; and

WHEREAS, declaration of such disaster authorizes the imposition of controls on activities which tend to increase the likelihood of fires; and

WHEREAS, such controls, once implemented, have the potential of protecting lives and property by mitigating the threat of dangerous fires; and

WHEREAS a declaration of such public safety hazard authorizes the imposition of controls on activities which tend to increase the likelihood of such fires; and

WHEREAS, a declaration issued under Section 418.108 of the Texas Government Code may include a prohibition on burning within the county; and

WHEREAS, a local disaster declaration expires no more than seven days after its issuance, unless the commissioners court consents to its renewal or continuance; and

BE IT THEREFORE PROCLAIMED that I, Newt Cunningham, County Judge of Fannin County, declare a local state of disaster based on the threat of large wildfires in Fannin County, Texas.

BE IT ALSO PROCLAIMED that this state of disaster will continue until rescinded or stated below in accordance with the above cited statute, but in no instance will this declaration continue for more than seven days without being authorized by the County Commissioners Court.

BE IT ALSO PROCLAIMED that the purpose of this order is the mitigation of the hazard posed by wildfires by curtailing the practice of outdoor burning, which purpose is to be taken into account in any enforcement action based upon this order.

BE IT THEREFORE ORDERED THAT OUTDOOR BURNING IS PROHIBITED IN FANNIN COUNTY, TEXAS FOR SUCH TIME AS LISTED BELOW.

BE IT ALSO PROCLAIMED that a violation of this Disaster Declaration is punishable as a Class C misdemeanor by a fine not to exceed $500.00 or as authorized by Government Code §418.173 and if adopted in the county's emergency plan by a fine not to exceed $1,000.00 or confinement in jail for a term not to exceed 180 days, whichever is greater.

This declaration shall be promptly publicized and filed with the County Clerk.