The National Weather Service humity index above indicates the humidity will be higher Saturday morning to around 90% at 7am Friday, and Sunday morning at 7am to around 97%. This does change throughout the day as temperatures rise. If burning, doing so under higher humidity conditions is better. Don't leave a fire unattended.
October 9, 2026 - The Shelby County Commissioners chose to lift the burn ban during their meeting held Friday, October 9, 2026.
Allison Harbison, Shelby County Judge, said that she met with Michael Bradbury, Region Assistant Director Texas Department of Emergency Management, on Thursday and he urged for Shelby County to keep the burn ban in place.
“Because of the pine straw and everything, people don’t realize just how volatile it is,” said Judge Harbison.
Judge Harbison said that Shelby County has been increased to an elevated fire danger for Friday, October 9. She said that she is aware people are wanting to burn, but that they need to be very careful.
Commissioner McSwain sought input from Seth Shrell, Shelby County TDEM representative, regarding timing involving putting a burn ban in place, and lifting them because a burn ban can be put in place quickly; however, it takes an act of the court to lift one.
“I want to know why she can’t take [the ban] off, because if she lifted the burn ban Monday morning at 8 o’clock it would have been ideal to burn Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,” said Commissioner McSwain.
Commissioner McSwain further explained that there are many in the community with a lot to burn and he described the Judge taking a poll of the commissioners and portions of the county to confirm if they had enough rain, so that she could potentially rescind a burn ban on her own. He highlighted this especially being an issue with the potential of not having any rain over a month’s time.
“[The Judge] can put on a seven day emergency burn ban via a disaster declaration after that it’s got to take the Commissioners’ Court to ratify it, it stretches out to 90 days is as far as you can go with it,” said Shrell.
Shrell referenced the code further in stating that if conditions are no longer present the commissioners’ court, county judge or designated fire marshal can remove the ban and he emphasized that is in reference to when conditions are no longer present.
Judge Harbison stated that’s different when the court has ratified it, because that is then a higher court than just her say so.
“Like she said two or three weeks ago, we voted to take it off and she said, ‘well, if something happens I can put it back on Friday or Saturday, whenever’ and that’s true,” said McSwain.
Due to the specific window of time mandated by law for a public meeting notice, Judge Harbison indicated it’s the timing of a meeting notice that drags it out. Judge Harbison explained that it was necessary to publish the notice of the meeting for October 14 also since Monday is a holiday.
“It just takes too long, we missed the window,” said McSwain.
Texas Local Government Code Sec. 352.081 (e) under regulation of outdoor burning suggests that the commissioners court could designate the county judge or fire marshal to lift the burn ban as they determine appropriate in their motion to put a burn ban in place. However, if the court doesn’t give that authorization then it has to go before the court.
(Texas Local Government Code § 352.081(e) Sec. 352.081. Regulation of Outdoor Burning (2) a determination is made by the commissioners court, or the county judge or fire marshal if designated for that purpose by the commissioners court, that the circumstances identified under Subsection (c)(2) no longer exist.)
Judge Harbison commented that Center ISD had contacted her about having their homecoming bon fire while under the burn ban and that they would have fire trucks there, and she directed them to the City of Center to receive special dispensation.
“That’s the difference you know, burning with fire trucks right there and burning a brush pile when you don’t have dozers,” said Luciana Barr, Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator. “Even with burn bans and people are burning anyway, what good does it do if we don’t back it up with some kind of consequence?”
Judge Harbison said that was a conversation had with Chief Bradbury about enforcement, and how to address it through court allowing for fire departments to present their report to the Sheriff’s Department for the issuance of a citation.
“It’s the only way you’re going to stop some people,” said Judge Harbison.
She reminded everyone of the Spann’s Chapel fire that was started in a burn barrel during a burn ban, and resulted in two structures burning down as well as around 500 acres. Fire Officials Fighting 500-acre Fire on South End of Shelby County (Update)
“I just know Mr. Bradbury said yesterday, you don’t how serious this is. It’s like lighting a match with a bunch of fuel around, I mean we are in a national forest area and it can get out an be serious before you know it,” said Barr.
Shrell commented on more manageable fire potential since the most recent rains occurred.
“The rain we did get two weeks ago now, that kind of knocked any of our extreme fire danger down,” said Shrell. “I think we’re going to get back to more manageable fires, if and when we have them. Another thing is the National Weather Service elevated fire danger, that just takes into account the weather, it doesn’t take into account our fuels.”
Commissioner Smith commented on the lifting of a burn ban not being a license to burn.
“When we lift a burn ban we’re not telling people to burn, we’re saying it’s not illegal to do a controlled burn. There’s a difference between burning and a controlled burn,” said Commissioner Smith.
Commissioner McSwain commented that timber companies can’t wait after they’ve spent money to kill debris in their designated burning area, and they have gear in place.
Judge Harbison said that she isn’t concerned with those controlled burn situations where people know what they’re doing, she’s more concerned with those in the general public who start a fire and leave it.
“We’re at 23% humidity today, now next week supposedly the humidity is supposed to get back up in the 70s it might be another story, but I’m just not in favor of it me personally,” said Commissioner Bellmyer. “I’ve got just as much to burn at my place as anybody. I’ve been cutting dead trees for a year and I would love to be burning, but I won’t burn anything right now. I’m going to wait until it’s muddy and wet and I can go to bed at night and not worry about it getting out into my pasture that evening.”
After discussing their options and considering data on the current conditions in the area Commissioner Roscoe MCSwain moved to lift the burn ban and included that Shelby County Judge Allison Harbison has the authority to put the burn ban back in place. In his motion he further encouraged those in the community to use caution an common sense involving burning. Commissioner Shannon Metcalf seconded the motion.
The motion passed with Commissioners McSwain, Metcalf and Stevie Smith in favor of lifting the burn ban. Commissioner Tom Bellmyer and County Judge Allison Harbison both voted against lifting the ban.
Shrell confirmed for the court that winds are projected to by higher Friday, October 9, and on October 10 the humidity is increasing.
The meeting adjourned at 9:21am.
Related Article: County Judge Urges Caution When Burning
