|
Posted: August 24, 2006
 “Fire prevention” and “precaution” are the key words for North Texans as Collin County joins the region in sustaining severe drought conditions, experiencing minimal rainfall.
“It is imperative that residents of Collin County remember that something as small as a discarded cigarette can create a raging grassfire within a few short minutes,” said Collin County Judge Ron Harris. “We want our residents and their property to remain safe as we endure these dry conditions.”
Collin County has passed its 60th day of a burn ban continuing to have two officers (deputy sheriffs, deputy constables or deputy fire marshals) on duty every afternoon and evening for burn ban patrol and fire call response.
“Early detection, immediate reporting and quick responses are necessary to mitigate fire loss,” says Collin County Fire Marshal Steve Deffibaugh.
Earlier this month several grass fires erupted in the county, with one, located near the community of Pike, consuming more than 100 acres, a travel trailer and four barns. It also threatened six homes. Most of the land destroyed was used for grazing, causing further problems for farmers and ranchers. This fire was sparked by an earlier fire in the county when an ember jumped a roadway into a nearby grass field.
“This is a serious situation,” says Judge Harris. “We are continuing to urge residents to not extinguish cigarettes outside, to not conduct trash burns and to report burn ban violations to the nearest law enforcement agency.”
|
|