Hidalgo County officials cited a property owner for running what they say was an illegal burning operation near Alton.

The operation was discovered on the 6 Mile Line and Iowa Road after neighbors reported seeing smoke in the area.

Hidalgo County Precinct 3 constables responded to the property on Wednesday afternoon. Investigators say the property owner was allowing people to drop off trash to be burned in exchange for payment.

The property owner did not have a burn permit, and officials said the property owner received a citation for illegal burning.

"We're working together with the commissioner's office to go out there to find out how long this has been going on for, where they're charging for people to dump, why they're doing it, and advising the property owners that they cannot do it," Hidalgo County Constable Larry Gallardo said.

The Alton Fire Department kept the fire from spreading.

Authorities are reminding the public that anyone who illegally dumps, transports, or accepts waste can face citations or other penalties.

"It's a domino effect because if you're going to dump illegally anywhere out there, a lot of them dump on our roadways, county roadways, they dump in the ditches. Now it becomes a problem not only for the public that lives around the area," Gallardo said.

The Hidalgo County Precinct 3 Constables Office is now using two mobile skywatch towers and four surveillance cameras to help monitor problem areas.

In the past two weeks, the Hidalgo County fire marshal says his office responded to about four illegal burning-related fires.

Authorities are asking anyone to report suspicious burning or illegal dumping activity.

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