Drying conditions bring more wildfires

By LORI COPE | East Texas Edition

August 16, 2001 -- As summer progresses, so goes the threat for wildfire.

Despite some cooling rains in Northeast Texas over the Aug. 11-12 weekend, Texas' "normal" summer is showing its true colors as the Keech-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) map indicates the season's severeness in lack of rain and increased temperatures.

In early July, the Northeast Texas region listed a 180 drought index, which jumped to 500 by the month's end. In the second week of August, the index is in the 600 to 700 range, according to Brad Smith, Texas Forest Service's fire behavior analyst, Longview.

"And, oh my, the 14-day forecast just gets redder," he said while accessing the color KBDI map on TFS' website .

A 400 to 600 on the KBDI is high fire danger; 600 to 800 is extreme fire danger. The color red on the map indicates a 700 to 800 range.

Smith indicated the western section of Northeast Texas, such as the counties of Hunt, Van Zandt, and Henderson, are drier than the eastern counties, especially those at the Louisiana border.

"There's quite a bit of difference in the east and west sides of Northeast Texas," he said on Aug. 10. "The west side is worse."

Because the live fuel moisture, which should be considered along with the KBDI to determine true wildfire threat, is drying out, "we're seeing fire activity pick up," Smith said. "The fires are starting to get a little larger because they are spreading faster."

Many of the counties in the western side of Northeast Texas have issued burning bans, which restricts residents from any outdoor burning.

But when fire breaks out, many count on the Volunteer Fire Department in their county to handle grass fires outside city limits.

"That's why we have the burn bans issued," Smith explained. "In these dry conditions (when there are more wildfires), the Volunteer Fire Departments have a problem getting enough personnel to handle the equipment and trucks, especially during the week because so many of the volunteers work during the week. It's hard to round up folks.

"They will push the county judge (to issue a burning ban) if they've had so many fires to help lessen the chance of fire, because most fires are caused by debris burning," he said.

Smith detailed some unusual, recent examples of how fires were started. "We had a caterer pulling a barbecue smoker, and he was cooking as he was driving," the analyst said. "He was dropping hot coals along the way and starting fires. They (firefighters) thought they had an arsonist, but they followed the burned spots to the caterer's house and determined what had happened."

Also recently, a train with possibly some brake problems started a grass fire along the tracks because of sparks, Smith related.

And many of the "black spots" seen along the roads are caused from people throwing out a cigarette.

"These are just indications of how little it takes ... it just doesn't take much of a heat source to start a fire," he said.

Key factors, especially in the western counties of Northeast Texas where it is drier, are wind speed and relative humidity. "On a day with wind over 12 miles-per-hour and humidity under 35 percent, there will be increased fire activity," he summarized.

Bill Rose, TFS' deputy east zone fire coordinator in Jacksonville, said increased observance of outdoor fire safety precautions is absolutely necessary for East Texans, particularly for those living north of Interstate 20.

Some fire safety practices to help safeguard homes and outbuildings, Rose specified, include:

• Establish firebreaks around buildings, between buildings and road right-of-ways, and between buildings and heavily-forested areas.

• Keep vegetation closely mowed for at least 30 feet from buildings and remove tall brush and grass from under overhanging power or telephone lines to protect essential utility service.

• Trim overhanging branches and roadside trees so large fire trucks have unhindered access to your location, and make sure your address is easily visible from roadways.

Other advice is to avoid using welding equipment near dry grass and brush; or, where vegetation can't be cleared from the work area, use a field sprayer or backpack sprayer to wet vegetation both in and downwind from the work area. Keep vehicles out of tall, dry grass, and make sure all outdoor equipment such as mowers and vehicles, are equipped with working mufflers.

TFS' website is: http://txforestservice.tamu.edu.