In a city where having a cigarette in hand at a concert is as common as wearing your Sunday best at church, it feels like a cloud of smoke over the crowd is part of the concert atmosphere. But starting this weekend, that habit may come to an end, at least temporarily.

The Austin Parks and Recreation Department recently announced a ban on all outdoor cooking, except for designated propane grills, and all outdoor smoking. This ban is part of an effort to reduce the risk of wildfires in Austin’s parks system and greenbelt areas.

The ban will be in effect during this weekend’s Austin City Limits Music Festival, which features well over a hundred artists performing throughout the day in Zilker Park.

To put that in perspective, imagine over 100 shows and attendees over the course of three days, and then factor in how many of those attendees are smokers. It’s bound to be more than at your average Friday night show at Stubb’s.

Put that number together with the amount of dry grass at Zilker park and the slim chances for rain anytime soon, and that adds up to some pretty dangerous wildfire conditions. So it’s no wonder PARD is taking precautions.

However, since the ban comes from PARD and not the Austin Police Department, it will not fall under city ordinances, according to the Austin American-Statesman. This means that officers patrolling and working during ACL will not be able to issue tickets for violating the ban.

However, park rangers at Zilker during ACL are able to ask patrons to leave the festival, and APD officer will be on hand to enforce that request.

With tickets to ACL starting at $90 for a one-day pass, that’s a pretty big price to pay, even if it’s not for a city fine.

The lack of a legal incentive not to light up may tempt some smokers to ignore the ban. But before they do, they should consider the following:

With recent devastation in Bastrop and other Central Texas areas due to powerful wildfires, doing anything to endanger the city of Austin would be nothing less than disgraceful.

Smoking in Austin’s parks during the burn ban or, for that matter, smoking in outdoor public places anywhere would be an insult to anyone who recently lost their home to the wildfire. The fire may have been put out, but the emotional wounds it left on the victims are still fresh.

Many are hoping that the Stage Two water restrictions that were recently enforced in Austin may help alleviate some of the effects of the drought, or at least prevent it from getting any worse. But that will mean less watering for grassy areas, making the grass drier and more flammable.  

Most wildfires are the result of extreme drought and high temperatures, both of which Austin has had its fair share of this summer, so adding any potential fire hazards  to that mix—say, a lit cigarette butt tossed to the ground— would be careless.

The ban in Austin parks and greenbelt system will remain in effect until it is no longer deemed necessary by PARD officials, at which point it will be lifted, welcoming back smokers and charcoal grillers alike. Hopefully, some rain will come soon, and Austinites can grill  and smoke to their heart’s content (however unhealthy that combination may be).

So music lovers attending ACL this weekend should keep in mind that smoking outdoors during this burn ban and exceptional drought won’t just be a bad taste in your mouth. It’ll be in bad taste, period.