COLLEGE STATION (AP) - The record number of Texas counties with outdoor burn bans has reached 251 as the heat wave and drought continue.

The Texas Forest Service on Tuesday reported that Jefferson, Willacy and Zapata are the only counties lacking the burn bans.

The previous outdoor burn ban record in Texas, prior to this year’s drought, was set in January 2006 at 221 counties. That record fell in June.

State agriculture officials this month estimated that the drought has caused a record $5.2 billion in livestock and crop losses since last fall.

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