Increased wildfire risk in Austin and Travis County

There will be elevated wildfire risk in the Austin and Travis County area through Aug. 4.

Current situation

Lack of rainfall and record high temperatures in the Austin and Travis County areas have created the perfect conditions for a wildfire. The National Weather service issued a red flag warning for these areas.

What you need to know

Anything that can cause a spark can start a fire. The Austin wildfire department urges residents to avoid standing idle over dry grass and not to throw cigarette butts out the windows of cars.

The wildfire department also urges families to create a “ready, set, go” plan to prepare for any emergency. More information on that can be found here.

The takeaway

Here are some tips from previous Community Impact coverage to help prevent wildfires.

• Park in designated spaces and avoid driving on dry grass as the heat from a vehicle can ignite grass.
• Make sure chains are properly connected when pulling trailers as chains dragging on the road can create sparks.
• Keep campfires small, and never leave them unattended.
• Extinguish campfires by drowning them with water, stirring them with a shovel and ensuring they are not hot to the touch.
• Call local authorities about suspicious activity, potential arson and active wildfires.
• Pay attention to local burn bans and restrictions.