Mayor Kirk Watson, Travis County Judge Andy Brown and emergency personnel gathered May 6 to share prevention tips and safety measures.
What you need to know
More than 90% of wildfires are caused by people or human infrastructure, Watson said. Wildfires are most commonly spread by embers, which can travel more than a mile from their original source.
“Contrary to popular belief, most wildfires are preventable. They are started every day by people who didn’t think they were doing anything wrong,” Brown said. “Here in Travis County, I have seen a wildfire started because a driver didn’t have a metal chain securely tied, and it dragged on the pavement creating a spark.”
What the experts say
Brown and Watson gave the following tips for preventing wildfires:
- Never throw lit cigarettes on the ground or out of a car window
- Do not drag trailer chains
- Avoid parking on or driving through tall, dry grass, especially during a drought
- Be cautious with outdoor activities that could cause sparks, such as using outdoor fire pits; and hot work, such as welding, cutting and grinding
- Cleaning gutters
- Covering open vents with metal screens to create a barrier from embers
- Removing dry grass or vegetation within 5 feet of the home
The context
Local officials are urging awareness after multiple wildfires destroyed hundreds of acres of land and numerous buildings in Central Texas last summer.
Cedar Park saw a 50-acre brush fire in August that resulted in the loss of one 24-unit apartment building, the destruction of three other buildings, evacuation orders for nearby residents and a water conservation request.
The Oak Grove fire in Hays County last August spread 400 acres, and destroyed a home and several buildings.
The announcement also follows a report from Texas A&M University that found Texas will continue to see hotter and drier summers over the next decade. Triple-digit days will be four times more common in 2036 than in the '70s and '80s, and wildfires will become more common, according to the report.
What else?
Watson also asked residents to know the difference between a wildfire and a prescribed burn.
Travis County performs 10-20 prescribed burns each year to help manage brush density, increase plant diversity and make natural areas more resilient to wildfires. The county will send out notifications before doing a prescribed burn at www.readycentraltexas.org.
One more thing
Residents can sign up for wildfire notifications at www.warncentraltexas.org and check what the wildfire danger rating is on any particular day at www.wildfirecoalition.org.
