As drought conditions continue, Montgomery County Fire Marshal Jimmy Williams has some advice for residents — stop outdoor burning.
Firefighters across the county are responding to an average of five to six brush fires daily. Some are small but several damaged homes, he said.
Most of the fires, Williams said, are started by residents burning trash.
“Magnolia (fire department) has had one significant fire every day this week,” Williams said. “North Montgomery County (fire department) had four wildfires going on at the same time Wednesday.”
Williams said there have been no injuries because of recent fires.
Here’s what to know about wildfires:
How does weather affect fires?
With no recent rain, the Keetch-Byram Drought Index for the Houston region has climbed to 756 on a scale to 800.
Texas A&M Forest Service uses the index to determine drought conditions in Texas with 0 representing saturated ground and 800 absolutely dry ground.
The index is based on a daily water balance, where a drought factor is balanced with precipitation and soil moisture. It attempts to measure the amount of precipitation necessary to return the soil to full field capacity
Williams said the lack of moisture in the air is causing drier conditions than normal and resulting in fires during early hours of the day.
Crews from the North Montgomery County, Caney Creek, and Conroe fire departments worked with the Texas A&M Forest Service Thursday morning after an illegal trash fire ignited a wildfire that spread to five neighboring properties off Texas 105 East.
“It’s another indication of how dry we are,” Williams said. “Typically, in southeast Texas with the Gulf Coast moisture overnight, the humidity rises and it’s not as easy to get a fire going. But the last few days we have had lower humidity. It’s another indication of how dry we are.”
How can you protect yourself and your property?
Williams said the top cause of those fires has been careless outdoor burning.
Thursday morning, Williams said, Magnolia firefighters responded to a fire and once on the scene found a homeowner near the fire burning trash. The homeowner was cited for illegal burning.
While urging people not to burn is the best way to prevent fires, Williams said there are other ways residents can protect themselves and their homes.
“Make sure you don’t have anything up close to your house that can spread the fire into your home either through the windows or the eaves of the home,” Williams said.
Piles of wood and dead landscaping, he said, should be moved away from the home.
Many residents are not able to water due to restrictions but Williams said keeping grass watered around your home will help protect it in the event of a fire.
“We recommend you water at least 15 feet around your house in all directions,” Williams said. “It will create a little, green defensible space and give firefighters a chance to save your home.”
How is Montgomery County handling illegal fires?
As many as 173 of the state’s 254 counties have outdoor burn bans including Montgomery, Harris, Galveston, Waller, Liberty and Chambers counties.
Montgomery County commissioners issued a 30-day burn ban Aug. 1.
Violators can face charges ranging from Class C Misdemeanors to felony-level offenses dependent on the severity of the crime.
This week several Montgomery County residents have been issued $500 citations for illegal burning, Williams said.
Much of Southeast Texas started this week with red flag warnings from the National Weather Service about the heightened risk of wildfires, which is expected to persist in the coming days, said Justin Ballard, Houston Chronicle newsroom meteorologist.
Red flag warnings highlight areas where the combination of dry vegetation, low relative humidity, extreme heat, and breezy winds could make a small spark ignite rapidly into an out-of-control wildfire. Through much of this week, red flag warnings are likely to be issued daily.
