“As our summer continues to move along hot and dry, the risk of grass fires increases,” Gersbach said. “As we have moved from spring into summer, and have had very little rainfall in the past two months, all vegetation is quickly drying up, and while the (Milam) county is not currently under any burning restrictions, fire is a very real possibility.”
Bell County and other counties to the west have instituted burn bans.
Residents cannot do anything about hot, dry Texas weather, but they can implement some practices to keep the opportunity for fire at bay by decreasing sources of fuel.
“In many situations, tall, thick grass that has not been utilized following spring growth and is dried along fence rows and road ditches may prove to be a very present fire danger,” Gersbach said. “Keeping grasses at a manageable height will slow the spread if a fire should erupt. However, mowing is a dangerous practice as a rock or other hard object can cause a spark and ignite a fire, so keep a close eye on what you are mowing.”
Henry Horelica, Milam County Fire Chiefs’ Association president and Cameron fire chief, said fire breaks are a good idea during hot, dry summer months, and while fuel costs are high, residents can help protect their properties from fire damage by keep grass mowed “as low as possible.”
Firebreaks “will either stop the fire or slow it down,” Horelica said.
The fire chief’s association is expected to consider asking the county to implement a restriction on outside burning, but until the ban is imposed, residents are required to follow state guidelines for burning, Horelica said.
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