A statement from Hardin County Judge Wayne McDaniel:
In consultation with the Hardin County Office of Emergency Management, Texas A&M Forest Service, and National Weather Service – Lake Charles, and after having received formal requests from nearly every Fire Chief throughout Hardin County, I am issuing a Declaration of Disaster due to severe drought conditions which exist throughout Hardin County and are expected to continue into August. This Declaration also includes an Order Restricting Outdoor Burning, effective immediately.
Drought conditions in Hardin County have existed for the past few months. Rainfall received just prior to the Independence lowered our KBDI (Keetch-Byram Drought Index) average enough to
delay this action. However, with little to no rainfall since then, and due to the excessive heat over the past week, drought conditions have continued to deteriorate and there is no relief in sight.
The Texas A&M Forest Service’s most recent Fire Potential Update to Hardin County states, “Continuing hot and dry conditions will continue to dry out surface fuels and increase the fire danger.” I received the following update from the NWS – Lake Charles Meteorologist In Charge late last night, “In the past 30 days, Hardin County has seen 2 to 5 inches of rain, which is 50% to 75% of normal. However, the trend has been getting drier. In the past 7 days, Hardin County has seen less than a tenth of an inch of rain which is only 5-10% of normal. This drier trend looks to hold into early August.”
This Declaration of Disaster and Order Restricting Outdoor Burning will continue until rescinded, and under no circumstance will it continue for more than seven (7) days unless renewed or continued by the Hardin County Commissioners Court on July 26.