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City declares April as Wildfire Awareness Month
By Dan Eakin, deakini@starlocalnews.com
Wildfires last year destroyed almost 3,000 homes in Texas, and the McKinney Fire Department (MFD) is encouraging local residents to do everything possible to avoid such destruction.
At least three statewide organizations and the city of McKinney have declared April as Wildfire Awareness Month. City officials, the Texas Forest Service, The Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Fire Marshal's Association want to remind residents of the dangers of wildfires and provide direction on how to protect their homes and property.
"In addition, McKinney Fire Department officials want to raise awareness about the potential dangers of outdoor activities that can create a spark, such as debris burning, outdoor campfires, welding and tossed cigarettes," said Stacie Durham, MFD public information officer. "About 90 percent of wildfires in Texas are human caused."
McKinney Fire Marshal John Nickles 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 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 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, Nickles said, shrubbery should be several feet away from a house rather than right against it. He suggested that pea gravel, ornamental rock or other non-combustible materials be used to separate shrubbery from the home.
For more safety tips on how to prevent an outside fire from spreading onto 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.
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