Bexar County officials have announced that a burn ban for unincorporated areas of the county has been lifted, effective immediately.
The county said recent rains have greatly reduced fire risk. However, officials urged residents to continue practicing fire safety, including covering burn barrels and fire pits with screens to prevent flying embers.
If fire risk remains low, the county may not need to restrict certain fireworks, including missiles with fins and skyrockets with sticks, during the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
Fireworks are generally permitted in unincorporated areas of the county, subject to applicable restrictions, but officials urge residents to use them responsibly to prevent property damage or injury.
Fire safety tips
The Bexar County Fire Marshal's Office offers additional safety tips for outdoor burning of any kind.
- Check weather conditions before burning. Avoid burning on windy or dry days.
- Never leave a fire unattended.
- Keep fire-suppression tools nearby, such as a garden hose, buckets of water or a fire extinguisher.
- Clear the area around your burn, removing dry vegetation, debris or anything that may easily catch fire.
- Ensure the fire is fully out by dousing and stirring ashes until they are cool to the touch.
- Call 9-1-1 immediately if a fire begins to spread or becomes unmanageable.
Fires in unincorporated areas of the county are handled by Emergency Service Districts that ring the outer edges of San Antonio. For additional information about outdoor burning rules or to verify whether a property falls within unincorporated Bexar County, residents may visit the Bexar County Fire Marshal’s website.
Weather considerations
The county has seen a little more than 32 inches of rainfall this year, as of Wednesday. That is nearly three-and-a-half inches above the year-to-date average, according to the National Weather Service.
NWS forecasters expect a new cold front to arrive in the San Antonio area on Thursday. The cold front will help increase rain chances on Saturday and Sunday. About half of the area could see rain both days.
Weekend afternoon highs will struggle to reach 70, and early morning lows will be in the lower 50s.
