Fire & emergency leaders prepare for another wildfire season in Central Texas

CEDAR PARK, Texas — It’s been a wet few days in Central Texas, but it’s only a matter of time before another scorching summer dries the land out, raising the risk for wildfires.

Emergency leaders were at a Williamson County Wildfire Preparedness news conference on Friday and said they know this is a very real threat.

The threat became a reality for folks on Parmer Lane in Cedar Park last August, when a 37-acre fire burned an apartment building, leaving dozens of people displaced.

RELATED: ‘When I saw it, reality hit’ | Residents see apartment destroyed by Parmer Lane Fire for first time

Carmen Jones says she remembers the flames from the Bexley apartment’s Building 10 being everywhere. 

“The flames were like nine feet high and it was so hot,” Jones said.

Jones, who lives in the next building, says the fire terrified her. 

“You see it on TV, but when you’re actually witnessing it, it’s like, you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Jones explained. 

Keri Hines, the Firewise Coordinator for the Texas A&M Forest Service, says the fire was called into 911 immediately. 

“Within less than six minutes, you had local responders from the city on that fire,” Hines said. 

Hines says she was there within an hour of the fire after state agencies were called in to help with wildfire containment.

“The Parmer Lane fire did spread incredibly quickly, as was expected for the fire weather that day,” Hines said, referring to the low-moisture in plant material. That can be tall grass, brush and shrubs that dry out and become like fuel in high temperatures.

RELATED: ‘Coming back home to this was not fun’ | Residents regroup after Parmer Lane Fire severely damages apartment complex

“Right now, our seasonal outlooks for wildfire activity this summer, and especially the fall, is showing at normal. Of course normal does mean that we can expect wildfires,” Hines explained. “Everything that’s growing will dry out.” 

The danger is higher in such a fast-growing area.

“You have neighborhoods and subdivisions popping up all over what was a rural area at one time. Therefore you have this vegetation that is really the conduit for fire into communities,” said Martin Ritchey, the Capital Area Council of Government’s officer for Homeland Security.

Leaders say they’re working on grants to help to clear vegetation on a widespread scale, and they have a plan to help respond to fires.

“We work with fire departments on a plan for putting together ‘strike teams’ to help with wild land fires. We were able to start solidifying a process to divide the county up– splitting it into four strike teams,” said Hank Jones, the Williamson County Fire Marshal. 

Jones says each team has their own an ambulance, fire chiefs, and brush trucks– that are smaller and well suited to respond to wildfires. 

“It allows us to get to more resources quicker without stripping other parts of the county,” Jones said. 

Leaders say nine times out of 10, wildfires are started by humans. Even the smallest ember from a cigarette butt can trigger a wildfire.

However, folks can do things to prevent fires and prepare for them. 

“You know, screens on your windows, making sure there’s not a collection of stuff on your window sills, making sure you’re not missing any shingles on your roof,” Jones explained. 

Officials said communities can become “fire-wise,” a nation-wide program that can contact fire departments to create an action plan to prevent fires like clearing vegetation and brush themselves. There’s also the Ready, Set, Go! Program. 

“That program teaches people how to prepare their structures, how to expect a potential evacuation, up to– and including– learning how your emergency officials communicate with you, and have an emergency kit ready to go,” Hines explained. 

Officials say you should register your cell phone so you can get alerts from the county when there are emergencies, and have a plan with your family if you need to escape a fire. 

“That’s really it. Just apply common sense in those really hazardous months of dry weather,” said Bill Zito, the Senior Director for Williamson County EMS.

Jones says the Bexley Apartments have started rebuilding the burned down complex two months ago. 

“I don’t think it’s going to be a repeat. Please don’t let it be a repeat, please,” she laughed. 

You can register your cell phone to get emergency alerts from the county at warncentraltexas.org.

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