By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Despite the recent rains in parts of Ellis County, the burn ban is still in effect.

After the weekend precipitation, Ellis County Rural Fire Director Dick Klaus said more than two dozen phone calls were received by his office and county dispatchers asking for the burn ban to be lifted.

Klaus said callers were told, “until we get rain over the entire county, we’re not going to take it off just because the northwest corner got some rain.”

He added that hopefully the entire region will get some rain Tuesday night and Wednesday.

According to the National Weather Service the southern part of the county received less than 0.20 inches overnight Sunday and Monday night. Areas of northwest Ellis County received approximately 1.40 inches.

Under the burn ban passed by the Ellis County Commission earlier this year, all outdoor burning is banned in Ellis County until the commission and the Rural Fire director deem the conditions have improved.