Even With Recent Rains, Fires Have Continued

La Grange Volunteer Fire Department put out a small grass fire on Chaparral Rd. last Wednesday, Sept. 14. Fire Chief Frank Menefee said the property owner started a brush pile that got out of control. The grass surrounding the burn pile was green, but the fire spread due to dry litter beneath the green grass. The flames also spread to some nearby brush.

LGVFD responded with a grass truck, a tanker and four personnel. They quickly put out the fire. It was the second grass fire for LGVFD since Commissioners lifted the burn ban last Thursday, Sept. 8. The first one happened Sunday on Janda Ln. Menefee said the Janda Ln. fire also started from a brush fire that got out of control.

Fayetteville Volunteer Fire Department fought a grass fire Sept. 12 on Burnside Rd. that started from a trash fire that got out of control. They quickly extinguished the fire.

Schulenburg VFD also had several grass fires in the past week. On Sept. 12, they fought a grass fire on US 77 near Vacek Loop. They fought two grass fires on Sept. 14. The first was a controlled burn that got out of control on FM 956 south of Swiss Alp. The second was on Interstate 10 near the West Navidad River. Then on Sept. 15, Schulenburg firefighters fought a grass fire on Hwy. 90 near Dubina.

Flatonia Fire and Rescue fought three grass fires since last the burn ban was lifted. The first happened near the corner of Pavlica Rd. And Hwy. 95 on Sept. 9. Flatonia firefighter battled a string of grass fires along Interstate 10 on Wednesday, Sept. 14. Those fires appeared to have started from a vehicle that was throwing sparks. Then on Sept. 14, they put out another grass fire at Hwy. 90 and S. Knesek Rd.

Last Thursday, Chief Deputy Randy Noviskie of the Sheriff’s Office said the 911 dispatch center had received 11 calls for grass fires throughout the County in the week since Commissioners lifted the burn ban. He said a few of those calls were for fires that turned out to be under control.

But the majority, he said, were fires that got out of control and had to be put out by firefighters.