BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Extreme wind gusts are expected Wednesday across Texas, including Bexar County.
Bexar County officials advise everyone to use caution to prevent sparking a fire.
San Antonio TransGuide’s electronic boards over highways on Tuesday showed the message ‘extreme wildfire danger, help prevent wildfires.’
It was not that long ago that the U.S. and the whole world witnessed the devastation of the California wildfires.
Bexar County Fire Marshal Chris Lopez said a spark landing on a small patch of dry grass or dry vegetation would be enough to create a wildfire, especially with gusts expected between 20 and 25 miles per hour.
Lopez said the weather expected Wednesday, along with the drought-like conditions that have persisted across Bexar County, are all prime ingredients of a wildfire, like the dead leaves and branches.
“That is just dry fuel. That is like a tinderbox that’s ready to burn, so it doesn’t take much to get it going,” said Lopez.
“And once it does start, then it’s almost impossible to stop it, especially whenever you’ve got houses that are so close together.”
Lopez advised homeowners to maintain the areas near their homes, known as the defensible line, by clearing away debris such as brush piles, dry vegetation, and any flammable materials to help prevent potential fires.
“You need to have a solid distance between your home and those items that are combustible,” Lopez said.
“Creating a defensible space, keeping all of your grass mowed, keeping your trees trimmed so that if there is a fire of underbrush that comes sweeping through, that it won’t necessarily catch your trees on fire.”
Other fire prevention tips
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No campfires
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Clear out brush piles
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Avoid using tools that can create sparks.
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Dispose of cigarettes properly
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Don’t let the chains on trailers drag
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Don’t park or drive on dry grass
For more information on wildfire prevention, click here.
