Red Flag Warning issued for some Central Texas counties

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas - Travis County is under a Red Flag Warning on March 12, which means there is a substantial risk of wildfires. 

High winds and low humidity are contributing to these conditions. 

Substantial risk of wildfires in Central Texas

What they're saying:

Asst. Chief Daniel Berger with the Pflugerville Fire Department/Travis County ESD 2 says they're prepared. 

"Behind the scenes, all the area fire departments and first responders are calling each other, going into meetings and ensuring our lines of communication are open, that we're staffed accordingly, and that we have units where they need to be," he said.

The conditions mean people shouldn't be burning. 

"Nine out of ten wildfires are human-related. So certainly today, no burning," Berger said. 

Make sure you're not dragging trailer chains, don't park on dry grass, and don't throw cigarette butts out the window. 

The winds are similar to last Tuesday, which also had a high wildfire risk. 

"Tuesday was very rowdy. Tuesday was incredibly busy for our folks. We were up staffed thankfully, and we were very well-prepared," Berger said. "We saw, I think, four fires last Tuesday and a number of calls for wires down."

In Hays County last week, the Onion Creek burned 190 acres.

Each area has its challenges. East Travis County doesn't have a lot of junipers and large vegetation like West Travis County has. 

"We have light, flashy fuels, grasses that are easy to start and they move fast, so we have to get on them quick. We certainly did last week," Berger said.

Berger says they may bring in more staff later this week.

"We do predict Friday looks like it's going to be a challenging fire weather day as well, so we do plan on up staffing," he said.

Why you should care:

Be sure to stay up-to-date. You can sign up for emergency alerts from warncentraltexas.org.

"We need people to be vigilant, pay attention to what they're doing," Berger said. 

Berger also says you can ask your local fire department about a home ignition zone assessment, where a firefighter can come out to your home and see what the wildfire risks are and what recommendations they have to protect it.