LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
Under a disaster declaration signed June 10 by Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, fireworks will not be sold in Bexar County and it will be illegal to use them.
Citing the extreme drought conditions, Wolff also asked Gov. Rick Perry to extend the declaration beyond the 60 hours to cover the entire 10‐day selling period and the July Fourth holiday.
"The last time we had an all-out ban on fireworks in 2008, the conditions then were not near as bad as they are now," Wolff said.
"We don't like telling a business they can't open, but we also don't want to tell a family, 'Sorry you lost your home because of fireworks.' We simply can't put commerce above the safety of the community."
Bexar County typically receives an average of 13.79 inches of rain by this time of the year. The year‐to‐date precipitation has been significantly less in 2011, totaling only 4.03.
The rainfall received in the fall was significant enough only to cause more problems for this fire season by creating tall, now dried grasses and vegetation.
The Keetch‐Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is currently at 694 on the 0 to 800 scale. A KBDI reading from 600 to 800 represents the most extreme drought conditions.
Fire and weather professionals expect the KBDI for Bexar County to reach the 700s by the July Fourth holiday.
On the KBDI scale, 800 represents the driest air and soil conditions.
The weather forecast for the next week has daily high temperatures around 100 degrees with winds from 5 mph to gusts of 25 mph.
Humidity, which also affects fire conditions, is expected to remain around 51 percent.
A violation of the ban could result in a fine up to $1,000.
(Source: Bexar County Commissioners Court)