Hot and dry conditions have turned North Texas into a tinder box.
Rain is expected early Thursday morning, and over the weekend, there will be a drop in the bucket compared to what's needed to break drought conditions.
Right now, 184 of Texas's 254 counties, including Denton County, are under a burn ban.
A fast-moving grass fire in Argyle threatened homes about a week-and-a-half ago and burned about 35 acres along I-35W.
An uptick in grass fire calls and the rising drought index led Denton County officials to implement a burn ban Tuesday.
Denton County Fire Marshal Brad Sebastian expects the ban to remain in effect for at least a month since it will take more than a couple of storms to change conditions.
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“The fast rains that come down quick and move out fast, a lot of that’s going to be run off. That slow steady rain, that good soaking rain is what we need and what we really need is a wet pattern,” said Sebastian.
While the burn ban is in effect, people are urged not to toss cigarettes on the ground and to secure chains that may hang from vehicles or trailers. For now, outdoor burning is prohibited.
