OUR TURN: Keep fire safety in mind despite rains

Even though the burn ban has been lifted for some time now in Burnet County thanks to persistent rains and even snow, that’s no reason not to practice fire safety.

Volunteer firefighters say they have been answering a few too many calls lately for controlled burns that got out of hand in the unincorporated areas of the county.

Don’t forget, the drought isn’t officially over. Though Lake Travis is actually above its traditional water levels for this time of year, the northern reaches of Lake Buchanan are still parched.

What was once the deep bottom of the Colorado River basin in some parts of Lake Buchanan now looks like a stream meandering through scrub.

Meteorologists said the Highland Lakes for the last 2.5 years experienced one of the worst droughts since 1917, possibly even more devastating than the drought of record in the 1950s.

The drought became so severe in Central Texas, Gov. Rick Perry received a disaster declaration for the region, one of the hardest hit in the state.

Oddly enough, the drought followed on the heels of one of the most devastating floods in recent memory in the area, the so-called “rain bomb” that dumped 19 inches on the Highland Lakes June 26 and June 27, 2007.

But by September of that year, the region was in the grip of merciless drought.

Last summer, there were more than 60 days of triple-digit temperatures and only sparse rainfall, making for a miserable time.

During that period, the commissioners enacted a burn ban. The grass was too brittle and the surroundings too dry to risk putting the torch to wood and trash piles for fear an out-of-control conflagration would consume property and threaten life.

In Burnet County, there are only three exceptions to the ban, which is reviewed every 90 days:

• Burning of prickly pear for livestock consumption must have a water supply and a cell phone at the burn site, and can only burn during optimum conditions.

• Household trash may be burned in a covered container and must be attended with a water source.

• Outdoor cooking is permitted, but there has to be a water source nearby. No campfires are allowed.

Those days of the ban seem to be behind us — hopefully.

But that doesn’t mean those who feel the need to burn brush piles should drop their guard. Basic safety rules should still be followed.

There is more at stake than burning a few acres of grassland or juniper.

The danger of a fire starting and going unchecked remains a constant threat in the Highland Lakes, where large swaths of land remain uninhabited.

And it won’t always be like that.

The sluggish economy has slowed housing starts, yet there are several developments on the drawing board that could one day start popping up all over what used to be the wild countryside.

As more homes are built in these areas, the risk for fire grows.

Property owners have every right to keep their land clear of unwanted brush and trash. And now is the time to get rid of the rubbish. But in the interests of the community’s overall safety, controlled burns should be handled as though the ground itself remains a tinderbox.

The River Cities Daily Tribune editorial board includes Dan Alvey, Amber Alvey Weems, Thomas Edwards, Chris Porter and Daniel Clifton.