By Dan Eakin, Star Local News
Just because the wildfires in Bastrop County and other parts of Texas have died down does not mean that more wildfires won’t occur in the near futures.
And just because there have been no major wildfires in and around Collin County does not mean that they won’t ignite there if abundant rain does not come soon.
McKinney Fire Marshal John Nickles said the small amount of rain in the area during the last couple of weeks have not lessened the potential for wildfires.
“Unless we can get the benefits from a tropical storm or from hard rain, the threat will continue,” Nickles said.
Actually, he said, there have been several grass fires in McKinney and Collin County in recent weeks.
“However, because they have been quickly and aggressively attacked by our firefighters, little or no harm was done,” Nickles said. “It is important that we be aware of how quickly and rapidly a fire can grow.”
Nickles has been McKinney fire marshal since 2004 and before that had an abundance of experience with other fire departments. He focuses more on how to prevent fires than on how to fight them.
He offered advice on how homeowners can keep their property safe from approaching fires, saying that serious fires develop through a surface-to-mass ratio.
“Grass does not have much mass, but a lot of surface,” he said, explaining that often a grass fire can spread to a wooden fence or shrubbery, on to trees and then to a home.
“Lawns should be kept mowed at least 30 to 100 feet from the house if possible,” he said. “Trees should be kept pruned, and no branches should be resting on the house. Also, yards should be kept free of debris.
Clutter in a barn, shed or even a garage can also serve as fuel for a fire. Combustible liquids should be kept in enclosed metal cans and properly stored, Nickles said.
“Insecticides and fertilizers are very combustible,” he said. “Spray cans with propellants should be stored separately from other hazardous materials such as gas cans or oil cans.”
He also said wooden fences can serve as “a wick” to ignite a home. He recommended that homeowners be sure that a masonry structure separates the fence from the home.
Homes with shingles made of wood rather than of asphalt or some other non-combustible material are more likely to catch fire and burn much more quickly. Insurance rates are higher for homes with wooden shingles.
Also, he said, shrubbery should be several feet away from a house rather than right up against it. He suggested that pea gravel, ornamental rock or other non-combustible materials be used to separate the shrubbery from the home.
For more safety tips on how to prevent an outside fire from spreading to a home, go to www.firewise.org, or go by the McKinney Fire Marshal’s office, located in the McKinney Public Safety Building at 2200 Taylor Burk Drive.
