Fire crews prepare for elevated fire danger this weekend

CENTERVILLE, Texas (KBTX) – A majority of the Brazos Valley is under a Red Flag Warning Saturday as a result of elevated fire danger.

High temperatures and high winds create an environment where a fire can start and spread quickly.

Brazos, Robertson and Milam Counties have issued burn bans in order to prevent grass fires.

“If the winds are 30 miles an hour, you probably shouldn’t be burning, or a controlled burn,” Brazos County Emergency Management Coordinator Jason Ware said.

According to the National Weather Service, fires that start in dry and windy weather conditions like the area is currently experiencing are extremely difficult to contain.

Ware said now is the time for the public to be extra cautious.

He explained, “After a deep freeze like we had in February, even January, the grass, any tall grass cures, which means that it basically dies and can’t absorb moisture. So the tops of the grass can burn very quickly, making it very difficult to catch.”

Although Leon County is not currently under a burn ban, Centerville Volunteer Fire Chief John Adams said residents should still avoid outdoor burning this weekend.

He reflected back to the 2011 Concord Robbins fire in Leon County that flared up Labor Day weekend.

“We fought that fire for five days. We lost lots of houses. It was 36 houses gone, lots of barns,” Adams said.

Their goal during times of elevated fire danger is to make sure what happened in 2011 does not happen again.

One spark, Adams said, can lead to massive amounts of damage.

“The wind blows, they go up high and they’ll travel for miles and when it sets down in a dry spot, it’s going to ignite,” Adams added.

The National Weather Service advises against outdoor burning or parking on dry grass.

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