Lavaca County
Lavaca County neighbors
Drought

Drought conditions only getting worse

  • Statewide Drought Information
    Statewide Drought Information
  • Focus on Lavaca County
    Focus on Lavaca County

    The Lavaca County Office of Emergency Management urged last week that people use extra caution as dry conditions continue to plague Lavaca County and many of her neighbors.

    According to the US Drought Monitor’s latest update, Conditions for Lavaca County only grew worse last week, moving from designation D1 (“Moderate Drought” on their mapping system) to D2, Severe Drought.

    “Every bit of the county—100% of Lavaca County—is listed as being in Moderate Drought Conditions, which causes everything from crops stunted and partial livestock liquidation to an increase in wildfire frequency,” said Lavaca County Emergency Management Coordinator Egon Barthels. “About 79.57% of Lavaca County is in D2, Severe Drought Conditions, which causes everything from limited to very poor pasture conditions, hard soil, and farmers not planting crops to total crop failures and increase wildfire risk. We are under severe wildfire threat right now.”

    With dry conditions and no rain in the forecast, the Lavaca County Office of Emergency Management is issuing an urgent reminder for everyone to be extra vigilant, especially doing any type of controlled burns (burn piles, fields, trash) or spark-producing (outdoor welding, grinding) hot work and to take extra precautions, including  keeping a working fire extinguisher with you on your farm implements, and having a ready water source nearby at places you choose to work.

    On Friday, October 7, the KBDI index average for Lavaca County was up 5 points to 631, with the highest reading in the county at 721, and the minimum at 502.  Lavaca County has been in drought for the past 31 weeks, since March 1. 

    The Climate Prediction Center’s October Drought Outlook, released on Sept. 30, predicted that drought conditions would persist in October.

    “Our fire departments across the county are again seeing an increase in calls out to grass fires, and without any chance of significant rainfall predicted in the near future, conditions are expected to deteriorate,” Barthels said. “We encourage everyone to take the simple extra precautions to help prevent wildfires, and stress on our volunteer fire departments and emergency personnel.” 

    All Lavaca County Volunteer Fire Departments and Lavaca County Office of Emergency Management request that prior to starting any controlled burning (woodpiles, fields, or large refuse piles), please call the Lavaca County Communications Center at (361) 798-2121.  

    They will ask you for the location and a contact number.  By doing this you will help prevent the needless dispatching of volunteer fire departments and will also receive information if a Burn Ban or Red Flag Warning is in place. 

    For more information, you can visit https://www.co.lavaca.tx.us/page/Lavaca.BurnBan