Big Grass Fire In Travis County Points To Ongoing Threat

TRAVIS COUNTY, TX — A grass fire that quickly spread over several acres in Manor, Texas, over the weekend dramatically illustrated the potential of such conflagrations to erupt in periods of little rainfall.

Austin Fire Department crews were dispatched to Highway 290 and Ballerstedt Road at around noon on Saturday to put out a fire that ultimately spread to an adjacent storage facility and a vehicle at the site. While no injuries were reported, fire officials showed the damage across the scorched acreage.

One of the fastest-growing area suburbs, Manor is part of the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area located some 12 miles northeast of the state capital. The city's population was 5,037 at the 2010 census.

With little rain in recent weeks, acreage across Central Texas has yielded a veritable tinderbox with dry grass that acts as a makeshift fueling agent helping fan the flames of conflagrations.

The ferocity of such fires was dramatically illustrated in nearby Florence, Texas, in August. By the time such a conflagration was extinguished three months ago, 200 acres were burned and close to 80 homes were evacuated

Fire Safety on the Farm

Despite the ongoing threat, neither Travis County or Williamson County have a burn ban currently in effect. In neighboring Williamson County, an outdoor burn ban was lifted in early September.

According to the Country Fire Authority (CFA), grass fires can start and spread quickly, especially on days when the Fire Danger Rating is Severe, Extreme or Code Red. Fire Danger Ratings alert as to how dangerous a fire would be if one started. As the ratings increase, so does the risk of uncontrollable fire, officials noted.

CFA ticked off ways of understanding rural grass fire risk:

• Grass fires can start and spread quickly and are extremely dangerous.
• Grass fires can travel up to 25 km per hour and pulse even faster over short distances.
• Grass is a fine fuel and burns faster than bush or forests.
• Grass fires tend to be less intense and produce fewer embers than bushfires, but still generate enormous amounts of radiant heat.
• The taller and drier the grass, the more intensely it will burn.
• The shorter the grass, the lower the flame height and the easier the fire will be to control.
• Short grass (under 10cm) is a much lower risk.
• Grass fires can start earlier in the day than bushfires, because grass dries out more quickly when temperatures are high.

CFA also offers guidance on reducing the risk of such fires personally, at homes or properties. Officials urge residents to determine what buildings or assets they need to protect from grass fire. Property owners can reduce the height and proximity of grass to these buildings and other assets b slashing; mowing; grazing; spraying and using herbicide; and creating fuel breaks by removing all fuel (vegetation) down to the soil.

Narrow fuel breaks (less than three meters wide) are unlikely to stop a fire, officials noted. However, they may slow it down. By reducing the grass and other fine fuels around buildings and other assets, property owners can create a defendable space — an area that limits the ability of a moving grass fire to ignite a building through direct flame contact or radiant heat.

Machinery can start grass fires too, CFA officials noted.

The Fire Danger Period is when CFA restricts the use of fire in the community. ... The Fire Danger Period may be declared as early as October in some municipalities, and typically remains in place until the fire danger lessens, which could be as late as May.

Machinery can start grass fires too, CFA officials noted. During the Fire Danger Period, it's important to take precautions if using machinery with an internal combustion or heat engine — such as tractors or slashers — in proximity to grass, crops, stubble, weeds, vegetation and the like.

It's important to ensure the machinery is:

• free from any faults and mechanical defects that could start a fire;
• fitted with an approved spark arrestor.;
• carrying a working water fire extinguisher or knapsack of at least nine litres capacity.

In addition to water required under legislation, property owners should also carry a dry chemical extinguisher that is suitable for normal combustible fires and electrical fires, such as an ABE extinguisher, on machinery.