The Labor Day weekend is the official “last hurrah” or the summer. With wonderful rains this spring and summer, area lakes are up and the grass is tall. It’s finally beginning to cool down and allow for some ribeyes on the grill.
On holiday weekends, one of the favorite things many people enjoy is cooking outdoors. Unfortunately, long, hot days are drying out soil and grasses across much of the central Texas area prompting a gentle reminder to be fire wise this upcoming holiday weekend.
Most can still remember the 2011 drought, the fires the heat and the misery. Area farmers and ranchers were among the hardest hit. Several had to sell entire herds of livestock to make it through. A few were still more unfortunate to have rangeland and structures burned as a result of wildfires.
This year, many areas of Texas have been blessed with timely spring and summer rains. Unfortunately the heat has burned most of the moisture off leaving plenty of dry grass that could catch fire in an instant if people aren’t careful.
Communities like Mason and Albany are reliving the devastation from years earlier as they’ve recently battled blazes started accidentally, but carelessly.Folks using welders, grills and cigarettes should use extreme caution under current conditions. Most people know someone who has been a victim of a fire tragedy. It’s important that everyone works together to prevent as many fires as possible to save lives, homes and property.
To lessen the likelihood of a fire, keep tall grass, dry leaves and anything flammable at least 30 feet away from structures. Avoid parking in tall grass as your vehicle’s exhaust could spark a fire.
Observe local burn bans and stick to them. Don’t forget about the folks who battle the blaze; hats off to area volunteer and municipal fire departments. Those men and women don’t get enough recognition and this is the time of year when they stand between you and complete disaster.
