Record 235 Texas Counties Have Outdoor Burn Bans

A record 235 Texas counties have outdoor burn bans as the state continues to suffer from drought.

The Texas Forest Service on Wednesday confirmed the record, with just 19 counties not under burn restrictions.

Nearly all of North Texas, excluding Denton, Rockwall and Collin counties, are under a burn ban. See the map here.  Earlier this week, Dallas County implemented a 90-day outdoor burn ban.

Spokeswoman April Saginor told The Associated Press that the previous record number of Texas counties with outdoor burn bans was 221, set in January 2006.

Saginor said the number of counties with burn bans has topped 221 for a while, but the Texas Forest Service just recently noticed the record had been broken.

Saginor said use caution amid drought conditions during the Fourth of July holiday weekend, as people plan outdoor activities that could include fireworks.

The Texas Forest Service says nearly 3.3 million acres have burned during the current wildfires season.

NBCDFW's Frank Heinz contributed to this report.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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