Rain doesn’t always = “safe” burning conditions

When grass is dead, like it is now due to being dormant or during the summer when it is due to drought conditions, the root systems do not provide moisture to the grass. During these times, the grass is dependent on getting moisture from humidity in the air or from rain. 
Grass is referred to as a “1 Hour” fuel because it can have enough moisture in it from a rain shower not to burn and within an hour after the rain stopping, the sun coming out and the wind blowing, it is dry enough to burn. 
The same is true for humidity in the air. The humidity in the air is the highest in the morning which provides moisture to the grass to keep it from burning easily. However, by about 1 PM the humidity begins to drop and grass that would not burn in the morning is now dry enough to burn easily.
Generally, the time between 1 PM and dusk, is referred to as the “Peak Burning Period”. This is the time that the Mount Pleasant Fire Dept. responds to the most grass fires. They have been to numerous grass fires where the property owner said, “Well it rained yesterday so I thought it would be OK to burn today.” The perception of it being OK to burn is because the person did not understand how fast grass can dry out and become fuel for a wildland fire.
So, before you decide to do any outdoor burning please consider the weather conditions. A good rule of thumb is if the relative humidity is or is forecast to be 36% or below and it is or is forecast to be windy it would be good to reconsider doing outdoor burning. 
Something else to keep in mind is if a fire you start gets out of control and destroys someone else’s property you are responsible for the damage. Please contact the Mt. Pleasant Department at 903-575-4144 if you have questions or would like more information.