County Judge Wayne Boultinghouse on Monday reinstated for 10 days the county's ban on outdoor burning in unincorporated areas. The emergency burn ban will be reviewed Wednesday.

Exceptions apply to barbecue pits, household trash burned in a barrel with a screen on top and burns for agricultural purposes with prior approval from Lampasas County Fire Marshal Gene Harrison.

A statement from Boultinghouse's office cited a "severe fire danger" in the county as justification for reinstatement of the burn ban.

A violation of the order is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not to exceed $500.

With Independence Day festivities approaching, City of Lampasas Fire Marshal Reece Oestreich advised area residents to exercise caution.

The discharge of all types of fireworks is prohibited within Lampasas city limits, Oestreich said. Rockets with sticks and missiles with fins are illegal in unincorporated areas as well, he said.

Those who use legal fireworks in unincorporated areas should keep plenty of water on hand, Oestreich said.