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LOCAL NEWS
TuesdayFebruary92010



x50
February's drought causing more grass fires
2/24/2007 3:54 PM
By: Kendra Mendez

A grass fire burns in Travis County.  
Mix dry weather and high wind and experts say you'll get the perfect ingredients for a small fire to turn into a huge blaze.

In the past couple of weeks, Central Texas firefighters have seen a lot of this.

"This isn't a comfortable time for us. With the dry conditions and the high winds we've got to be careful and we've got to make sure that our responses are correct," Travis County Fire Department spokesperson Ken Bailey said.

Meteorologists say, unless we get a lot more rain, it's likely this month will be the driest February in Austin's history.

And since January was the second wettest in Travis County history, Bailey says no one gave February a second though.

"It might rain in the morning or overnight, but with the winds we've been having it dries out the top half or at least the top three quarters of the fuels so that fuel will dry just as if it was dry and hadn't rained at all," Bailey said.

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Grass fires

February has been one of the dryest on record, and as a result, firefighters have been battling more flames



About a week ago, a property owner started what he thought was a small trash fire. It quickly grew out of control, burning down six acres of his land. Another brushfire earlier this month wiped out 1,200 acres in Hays County.

If you absolutely have to burn, Bailey said, create a distance of 30 feet between the fire and your home.

"You need to make sure it's clear from brush because it doesn't take a lot, a little stray ember or a little piece of trash that blows out of that into some high grass, and then we're all in the races again to chase those things down," Bailey said.

And its one chase these firefighters would rather not have to do in these dry conditions.



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2/9/2010
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2/10/2010
Mid 30s
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2/10/2010
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