Social media a tool for burn ban awareness

With the burn ban back on in Hays County, emergency officials are turning to social media to spread up-to-date information to residents at a faster rate.

On June 5, the Hays County Commissioners Court placed unincorporated areas and extra territorial jurisdictions of the county under a burn ban that prohibits any outside burning that is not contained.

Hays County Fire Marshall Clint Browning said that the decision was based on the number of fires responded to recently and their intensity, lack of rain and soil dryness. A poll of area fire chiefs also showed them being in favor of placing the ban in effect, Browning said.