Even a small outdoor fire could now come with a $500 penalty in Fannin County as dangerously dry conditions raise fears of fast-moving grass fires. A countywide burn ban covers unincorporated areas and prohibits burning combustible materials, including in burn barrels, under an order issued on August 11 for seven days. Limited exceptions remain for authorised prescribed burns, certain public-safety and utility work, and welding or cutting performed under strict fire-prevention rules. Until conditions improve, the message is simple: what looks like a harmless flame can become a wildfire surprisingly quickly.