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Liberty County faces rash of fires without a burn ban in place
By ALEX WUKMAN
The headlines speak for themselves. September 24: Fire destroys home in Ames; September 25: Fire in Westlake destroys home; September 28: Manufactured home in Dayton destroyed by fire; October 1: Fire Damages manufactured home in Davis Hill; October 1: Fire damages mobile home in Tarkington; October 1: Fire destroys barn and boat in San Jacinto County, threatens home; October 1: Downed power lines start Wildfire in Hardin.
Over the last two weeks Liberty County fire departments have responded to six structure fires and one wildfire. Fortunately there has been no loss of life because of the fires; however they have caused thousands of dollars in property damage.
The fires have stretched resources thin and run firefighters ragged. “I’m walking asleep today. That was a week’s worth of firefighting in a day,” said Tarkington VFD Chief Dalton Gregory on October 2.
Gregory explained that his department and many others throughout Liberty County have been trying to push for a burn ban due to dangerously dry conditions, however it hasn’t been granted. “It’s ludicrous, when the fire departments and the forestry department can’t get a burn ban but the sheriff’s department can” said Gregory.
He stated that immediately following Hurricane Ike Liberty County enacted a burn ban at the request of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office because of altercations caused by smoke blowing through open windows.
When asked about the possibility of a burn ban a spokesman for Liberty County Judge Phil Fitzgerald’s office said “we haven’t spoken to the fire marshal about it.” Jim Wilson, the county’s Fire Marshal, said that he and Fitzgerald will be “looking into” a burn ban.
Wilson went on to say that there is no consensus on when a possible burn ban would go into effect. He also said that if residents practiced appropriate fire safety a burn ban wouldn’t be necessary, “if people would keep them [the fires] small and contained, that’s the key.”
Wilson continued on to say that for residents that the “dry conditions are creating problems with brush fires. The best time to burn is 6 a.m.-10 a.m. the wind picks up then. After that the best time is 5 p.m.-8p.m. and the fire needs to be completely out before you stop attending it.”
He also said that residents need to be aware of the fact even though it’s been weeks since Hurricane Ike made landfall and electricity has been restored; there is still potential danger. “Trees are still falling; branches are still falling,” said Wilson.
Wilson’s words of warning about falling trees and limbs didn’t land on Gregory’s deaf ears because he’d seen the results with his own eyes. Gregory said that the wildfire in Hardin was in many ways a worse case scenario for firefighter.
“You should have seen it; the tips of about three dozen trees were snapped off by the hurricane’s wind and were now dry. When the power line fell the fire had abundant fuel,” he said. He went on to discuss how Tarkington’s fire fighters had to pick their way over downed trees and through dry underbrush to get to the fire.
When asked if there was any idea about how soon a burn ban would be enacted Wilson simply said “not today.” The lack of a mandatory burn ban is odd in the light of the fact that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) asked that Fitzgerald issue a voluntary burn ban.
TCEQ’s request came because the burning of storm debris is having a negative effect on air quality in Harris, Montgomery and Liberty counties. Additionally the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued an advisory against burning as did Tarkington VFD.
Over the last two weeks Liberty County fire departments have responded to six structure fires and one wildfire. Fortunately there has been no loss of life because of the fires; however they have caused thousands of dollars in property damage.
The fires have stretched resources thin and run firefighters ragged. “I’m walking asleep today. That was a week’s worth of firefighting in a day,” said Tarkington VFD Chief Dalton Gregory on October 2.
Gregory explained that his department and many others throughout Liberty County have been trying to push for a burn ban due to dangerously dry conditions, however it hasn’t been granted. “It’s ludicrous, when the fire departments and the forestry department can’t get a burn ban but the sheriff’s department can” said Gregory.
He stated that immediately following Hurricane Ike Liberty County enacted a burn ban at the request of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office because of altercations caused by smoke blowing through open windows.
When asked about the possibility of a burn ban a spokesman for Liberty County Judge Phil Fitzgerald’s office said “we haven’t spoken to the fire marshal about it.” Jim Wilson, the county’s Fire Marshal, said that he and Fitzgerald will be “looking into” a burn ban.
Wilson went on to say that there is no consensus on when a possible burn ban would go into effect. He also said that if residents practiced appropriate fire safety a burn ban wouldn’t be necessary, “if people would keep them [the fires] small and contained, that’s the key.”
Wilson continued on to say that for residents that the “dry conditions are creating problems with brush fires. The best time to burn is 6 a.m.-10 a.m. the wind picks up then. After that the best time is 5 p.m.-8p.m. and the fire needs to be completely out before you stop attending it.”
He also said that residents need to be aware of the fact even though it’s been weeks since Hurricane Ike made landfall and electricity has been restored; there is still potential danger. “Trees are still falling; branches are still falling,” said Wilson.
Wilson’s words of warning about falling trees and limbs didn’t land on Gregory’s deaf ears because he’d seen the results with his own eyes. Gregory said that the wildfire in Hardin was in many ways a worse case scenario for firefighter.
“You should have seen it; the tips of about three dozen trees were snapped off by the hurricane’s wind and were now dry. When the power line fell the fire had abundant fuel,” he said. He went on to discuss how Tarkington’s fire fighters had to pick their way over downed trees and through dry underbrush to get to the fire.
When asked if there was any idea about how soon a burn ban would be enacted Wilson simply said “not today.” The lack of a mandatory burn ban is odd in the light of the fact that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) asked that Fitzgerald issue a voluntary burn ban.
TCEQ’s request came because the burning of storm debris is having a negative effect on air quality in Harris, Montgomery and Liberty counties. Additionally the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued an advisory against burning as did Tarkington VFD.
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