Severe drought conditions in Williamson County pose fire risk

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas - A burn ban is in effect for the next three months in Williamson County due to severe drought conditions.

Commissioners Court issued a county-wide burn ban effective Tuesday, Sept. 30. The ban will be in effect for a period not to exceed 90 days unless lifted by the Commissioners Court or the County Judge.

What they're saying:

The Williamson County Commission put a burn ban into place this week due to a severe drought in the area. 

The recommendation came from Chief Fire Marshal Michael Lugo. He says, across the county, conditions are so dry that something as simple as a loose tow chain on a truck could cause a major burn. 

"We had a fire, grass fire start yesterday when a power line came down," said Lugo. "It's pretty dry."

Lugo said on Tuesday, Sept. 20, a fire ignited on the east side of the county when a high-load vehicle took down a power line. He says low winds prevented the fire from burning out of control. 

But when that's not the case, Lugo says fires on that side of the county can be a challenge to put out due to limited water resources.  

"Part of the problem with the fires happening on the east side of our county is that there are limited water sources available for firefighting," said Lugo. "The problem that we run into is the brush trucks generally carry 250 to 500 gallons of water, and they run out pretty quick, and if they don't have water, that fire just keeps on going."

Lugo says the challenge is typical of rural areas where there is lots of land, but a lack of things like water lines and fire hydrants. That's why he says it's important to be mindful of the risks when conditions are dry, and exercise caution. 

Why you should care:

For property owners, Lugo recommends keeping grass cut short, keeping trees maintained, and keeping combustible materials, such as firewood, away from buildings.

For drivers, he encourages proper vehicle maintenance and cautions against driving over dry brush.  

"Try to avoid the tall grass, the dry grass area. Stay at the low grass because there is enough heat on the bottom of your vehicle to ignite the grass fire as well, and there's potential that the vehicle could then ignite, because the grass under it is on fire," said Lugo. 

Lugo says he will be assessing conditions in Williamson County on a weekly basis and keeping the county judge informed of any changes.