By DELANIA TRIGG, Register Staff Writer
August 07, 2008 12:01 pm
—
August in Texas can almost always be described in two simple words: hot and dry.
This year seems to fit the pattern perfectly.
With that in mind, the Texas Forest Service and county officials hope their warning about the current weather conditions prevent widespread wildfires.
On Tuesday, the forest service received reports of 108 fires on 9,614 acres.
The agency also noted Texas fire departments reported 135 fires over 2,953 acres during the same time period.
Local firefighters have been busy fighting flames in hay fields and on roadsides recently.
Officials warn that the risk of fires is on the increase, and is not expected to abate for some time.
“Currently, we are experiencing potentially active to very active fire potential,” said Timothy Phelps of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
Phelps was in town Wednesday meeting with officials to help refine the county’s fire safety plan.
He said the Texas Forest Service takes wildfires seriously enough to deploy task forces to certain areas considered to be in particular danger of fire.
The agency has a task force in Greenville ready to assist local firefighters, he said.
He noted that the forest service compiles data on fires and their causes.
Most wildfires are linked to human error, he said.
“We try to minimize the human-caused fires which are approximately 9 out of 10 fires,” he said.
Major causes of wildfires include debris burning and equipment use.
Cars and trucks are a major cause of roadside fires.
“Hot catalytic converters can start fires. Also, brush hogs and hay bailers,” Phelps said.
Equipment fires and vehicle fires are often started by a single spark.
“Anytime you have metal on metal you have the potential for a spark, and that’s all it takes. Equipment, especially older equipment, should always be kept lubed,” he said.
Welding also sets off a number of wildfires fires.
“Welders should keep an adequate source of water nearby when they work,” Phelps said.
A bucket of water is sometimes enough to put out a fire.
A water hose and a link to a good water supply is an even better option, he said.
Arson, although not as common as human error, is another cause of wildfires, he said.
Nature also has a hand in starting fires. Lightning ignites a large number of blazes each year.
Whatever their cause, fire departments — often staffed by volunteers — are the only defense against fires.
“Wildfires are contained. They are not put out,” Phelps pointed out.
Firefighters combat fires by surrounding them and preventing them from fanning out or climbing up into other areas.
He said residents should always pay attention to factors that influence wildfire potential.
“Watch the weather, and if there is a burn ban in effect, do not defy the ban,” he said.
Phelps said burning debris is not necessarily dangerous or foolhardy. Debris burning can rid property of excessive vegetation and debris.
But those who decide to clear their land by burning should follow several rules including:
• Check on the status of any local burn ban.
• Minimize the size of debris piles.
• Tend the fire until it is completely out.
• Pay attention to the weather. Note changes in wind direction and humidity levels.
• Keep a shovel on hand and water nearby to extinguish any stray sparks.
• Clear the area around the burn pile down to the bare earth.
“Create a debris-free perimeter,” Phelps suggested.
He said he has noticed a trend in Cooke County.
“The area is fairly populated, and as more people move to the wildland areas, they should keep in mind that fire is a part of the landscape,” he said.
He said homeowners should take a stand to protect their own property.
“The first line of defense is to realize that you are responsible for your home, and you can protect it before fire happens. The number one thing you can do is to provide adequate defensible space around your home and get rid of dead or dying vegetation,” he said.
Homeowners should keep their lawns short and well-watered, he noted.
They should also keep their roof clear of leaves, twigs or tree limbs.
“Shingles are slightly resistant to fire, but they have to be kept debris-free,” he said.
Homeowners should also remember the three Rs of survivable space: Removal, reduction and replacement.
Remove any dead vegetation.
Reduce a fire’s potential to spread vertically by keeping plants trimmed.
As they consume materials, fires can spread from closely-cropped vegetation to shrubs and trees, he said.
Plants allowed to grow without pruning and those which contain volatile oils (such as juniper) are a large potential hazard. Replace such plants with more fire-resistant ones, he said.
Finally Phelps said brief rain showers such as the ones seen here in the past week or so don’t end the fire threat.
“It’s going to take a sustained, significant rainfall over many days to bring the moisture to safer levels,” he said.
On the Web:
For more information on current wildfire weather and wildfire prevention see texasforestservice.tamu.edu.
For tips on fire prevent at home see firewise.org.
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