Cooke Co. ditches burn ban
Aug. 23—The heavy rain Sunday and Monday has washed away Cooke County's latest outdoor burn ban.
The commissioners court voted 5-0 Monday to lift the ban, which had been in effect since early July.
Cooke County Emergency Management Coordinator Ray Fletcher told the court that the three-plus inches of rain that fell over the weekend, plus the likelihood of more rain at the end of this week, should alleviate local drought conditions somewhat.
"I think we're going to get a pretty good green up, as dry as we were, and, in my opinion, I think we're safe to lift the burn ban at this time," said Fletcher.
The vote came just days after a 400-acre field fire in western Cooke County, not far from Gainesville High School. Crews from across the county and state converge on that blaze and got it under control within a couple of hours.
The forecast for the rest of this week includes partly cloudy conditions and highs in the upper 80s through Sunday, and rain and thunderstorms are possible into early next week.
