“We’ve been busier than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs,” said Chief Hal Pagel of the Moffat Volunteer Fire Department.
His crew not only fought a major fire in its own neck of the woods, but it also assisted other departments battling grass fire blazes over the weekened.
A fire that began on South Whitehall Road and Aycock Road in Moffat at 2:08 p.m. Sunday was started when a firecracker ignited a patch of dry grass, and eventually burned about 30 acres, Pagel said.
“The wind swept the fire down into some cedars, which caused it to expand quickly,” Pagel said. “But thanks to a gravel road and some aggressive firefighting, we were able to get the fire extinguished or controlled before it reached any of the houses.”
The chief said they were also fortunate to have a fire hydrant nearby to provide another water source.
Moffat firefighters also had help from the East Side Bell County Strike Team that includes local volunteer and paid firefighters who come to the aid of fellow team members when their resources are overwhelmed.
“Moffat made the decision to bring in some extra help, which was a good decision,” said Chief David Kelley of Temple Fire and Rescue. “With as dry as it is and the fair amount of wind, we had a lot to contend with.”
Even though it was the effort of all assisting fire departments and the guiding Moffat fire department, Temple Fire and Rescue’s new booster truck was also a big help, providing water for the blaze.
“This one has some features that our other one didn’t,” Kelley said. “The old one had two-wheel drive and this one has four-wheel drive. We can go out in pastures, and that’s really what this truck is made for - to fight grass fires.”
The new truck makes the firefighter’s work a little easier, but Kelley warns that grass fires are nothing to shrug at. They are dangerous and can be started easily.
“Anything like fireworks, discarded cigarettes and even a lawn mower hitting a rock can cause a spark,” he said. “Even catalytic converters can get extremely hot and can cause a fire.”
Mark Chapman, a fire control rescue officer for Temple Fire and Rescue, said the increased frequency of these events has caused the firefighters and their booster truck to work overtime.
“Over the last three days the truck has responded to seven calls,” he said. “Over the last month, there’s been about 20 calls for the booster truck. Things are picking up for grass fire season.”
Dry conditions have been the main cause of large fires, but fireworks have also been a big concern and source for small fires within Temple city limits where fireworks are illegal.
Lt. Edward Best of the Temple Police Department said the majority of emergency calls over the holiday weekend were for fireworks-related incidents.
“The danger of what could have happened if a neighborhood would have caught on fire is not worth shooting off a firework.”
After police issued citations and confiscated fireworks from those they caught in the act, the fire departments were responsible for putting out small front-yard blazes before they got out of hand.
The man who started the fire in Moffat with a firecracker will now be responsible for the cost of fighting the fire, which might include paying for damaged fire equipment or reimbursing fuel costs.
“Even though something’s legal, it doesn’t get you out of hot water,” Pagel said. “If you do something and it starts a fire like that, you’re liable.”
Because it is so easy to start a fire, the results of which can be expensive, the chief reminds residents Bell County is under a burn ban and any outside burning is strictly prohibited.
“Conditions are extremely dangerous right now,” he said. “That’s why we’re asking everybody to be extremely careful.”
