Smith County remains under a burn ban

TYLER — Although some portions of Smith County saw showers last week, it was not enough rain to consider lifting the burn ban, Smith County Fire Marshal Jay Brooks reported Tuesday. The Commissioners Court received an update on drought conditions from Brooks, who said only some areas of the county received rain and it was not enough to ease fire danger conditions. “The conditions outside are disastrous for us right now,” he said, adding that they haven’t seen drought conditions like this summer since 2011. When some areas of the county received brief periods of rain, the moisture quickly dried up. And while some areas of the county saw rain, other areas did not, Brooks said. “We are still under a burn ban and I don’t recommend rescinding it,” he told the Commissioners Court. Click here for more details.