Agricultural News
Southern Plains Perspective Blog Talks About Increased Risk of Fire Danger During Drought
Fri, 14 Oct 2022 10:25:47 CDT
There is a new blog post out at the Southern Plains Perspective, by Clay Pope. Read Below!
“Fire danger will be elevated at times this week, and not just because of the deepening drought. Dry and windy conditions will lead to fire conditions that could be very high to extreme Tuesday, with more high fire danger possible Wednesday and Thursday.”—KVOE radio, Emporia, Ks.
“The Texas A&M Forest Service raised the State Wildland Fire Preparedness Level to Level 2 this week due to increased wildfire activity, particularly in the eastern half of the state. The Texas preparedness level has been raised due to dry conditions across the state. Preparedness Levels 1-5 are planning assumptions and actions dictated by fuel and weather conditions, fire activity and fire suppression resource availability in the state. Level 5 is the highest level of wildland fire activity and indicates heavy resource commitment.”—Texas A&M Agri-life today.
“More than half of the counties in Oklahoma are under a burn ban. Right now, 46 counties are under a burn ban in our state. Oklahoma has had a record-breaking year for wildfires, ranking 4th in the nation for acres burned. Dry conditions with no end in sight have firefighters around Oklahoma on high alert.”—Ponca City (Oklahoma) Now.com
These are just a few of the headlines a quick internet search of fire conditions in the Southern Plains turned up this morning. As the drought continues to deepen in the region, the specter of wildfire is one of the many dangers that we have to be mindful of and careful about. If fact, people and their activities cause more than 90 percent of all wildfires in Texas alone, according to Texas A&M and most of the things that cause these fires are preventable. In fact, the largest number of these human-caused wildfires are the result of careless acts—things like debris burning in a drought, sparks from welding and grinding equipment, carelessly discarded smoking materials, the exhaust systems of vehicles and, of course, arson. All activities that can easily be avoided.
Not all causes of wildfire though, are due to human carelessness. There also exists the threat of fire from things like lightning strikes, downed powerlines, or accidental sparks from vehicles or trains. Even with our best efforts, we still are at risk of being impacted by an out-of-control fire; that’s why we have to take what precautions we can to be as well prepared as possible if and when a fire breaks out.
Luckily, the land-grant Universities in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas all have great resources on what a homeowner and/or agriculture producer can do to get their property ready for wildfires. Here are just a few tips…
• Remove leaves and debris from roof and gutters
• Don’t store flammable items under deck or patio
• Move all flammable materials away from exterior walls, including mulch, flammable trees and shrubs, leaves, firewood piles, lumber piles and other combustible items
• Consider using non-combustible mulch, such as crushed stone or gravel around buildings
• Mow or graze lawns and native vegetation to heights of less than 4 inches
• Prune trees 6 to 10 feet up from the ground
• Plant trees in locations where the mature canopy will not be within 10 feet of a structure
• Aboveground fuel storage tanks should be placed well away from structures, preferably on gravel or concrete pads
• Clear and keep vegetation from growing under propane and fuel storage tanks
• Place firebreaks inside fence lines along roads to help reduce wildfire risk on light wind days; however, do not expect this to effectively stop a fire on extremely windy days
• Conduct prescribed burns to create blackened areas around structures before wildfire season; planned grazing can also be used to reduce or manage fuels and wildfire risk
• Store hay on bare ground if possible
• Mow or graze fuels down next to hay storage
• Create firebreaks around stored hay by blading or disking to bare ground
• Store hay away from buildings, equipment or other items that may be damaged by burning hay bales
• If fires are likely to come from a specific direction, place hay on the opposite side of roads, ponds or other firebreaks to reduce the probability of fire reaching the bales
• Park equipment at least 20 feet from other vehicles and buildings on cement pads, bare ground or gravel. If this is not possible, regularly mow or graze vegetation in and around equipment
• Keep all wind-blown debris, such as tumbleweeds, from collecting around equipment
• Make sure equipment is not leaking fuel or other flammable fluids
• Keep all windows and doors on equipment closed to keep embers out
• Do not try to herd animals in front of an oncoming wildfire; this is extremely dangerous
• Maintain gates so they open easily and without tools
• Prepare safe areas or firebreaks for livestock by maximizing trampling along fence lines and in pasture corners through strategic salt and mineral placement or winter feeding
• Consider using patch-burning techniques to create firebreaks and safety areas
• Conduct prescribed burns on a regular basis to reduce fuel loads and volatile fuels
• Create firebreaks and maintain roads along pasture perimeters to reduce fuels, as well as making safe areas for livestock to congregate
• Have a livestock evacuation plan that considers how and where livestock will be taken in the event of a wildfire
You can find more helpful information from Oklahoma State University here, Texas A&M here and Kansas State University here.
Remember, the worst time to try and prepare for a fire is when you see smoke on the horizon and smell it in the air. With the drought all of us are now dealing with in the region, we would do well to give a little thought to wildfire preparedness.
To view this blog post at the Southern Plains Perspective, click here.
To access other blog posts and content at the Southern Plains Perspective, click here.
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