SAN PATRICIO COUNTY, Texas — A controlled burn in San Patricio County quickly turned into an out-of-control fire Monday, burning 50 acres before it was contained. The burn, which took place at McCampbell Ranch off County Road 1570 near Odem, has sparked serious questions about why it was allowed to proceed despite high fire danger conditions.
San Patricio County Fire Marshal Scott Marion confirmed that he had advised the person conducting the burn against moving forward, but they chose to proceed anyway. In a written response, Marion also stated that "local entities do not have the authority to deny prescribed burns."
Prescribed burns, which are commonly used for agricultural purposes such as clearing fields for planting, must be authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). According to TCEQ, the burn was approved on Jan. 3, and its authorization "included provisions and did not supersede any burn bans in effect." However, since San Patricio County did not have a burn ban in place, the burn was allowed to proceed.
KRIS 6 requested further details from TCEQ regarding the specific provisions set forth in the burn authorization, but the agency did provide any responses before our deadline.
The fire comes just a week after devastating wildfires in Sinton, where two fast-moving fires burned close to 800 acres and destroyed 17 homes, and left many residents displaced. Those fires were caused by a downed power line and a discarded cigarette, both igniting under the same hazardous weather conditions present during Monday.
The San Patricio County Judge's Office confirmed that a burn ban will be presented at the next Commissioners Court meeting on Monday. With fire danger still high due to ongoing dry and windy conditions, weather experts emphasize that any type of burning carries risks.
"I want to point out that when fire danger is high, it applies to all types of burning," KRIS 6 News Meteorologist Stephanie Lauber said. "it's not advised, and even when fire danger is lower, there's still a risk of fire."
As concerns grow over how this controlled burn got out of hand, the key question remains: Why was it allowed to happen under such dangerous conditions? Kris 6 will continue to push for answers from TCEQ and San Patricio County officials.
