High fire danger in parts of Central Texas heading into weekend

Preparing your home to prevent fires

Fire crews have contained a wildfire in Blanco County. But, with the danger of more fires high across Central Texas, local officials say home owners need to take steps to protect their property.

GEORGETOWN, Texas - The threat of fires remains high this week in areas of Central Texas.

Texas A&M Forest Service along with multiple agencies from across Central Texas fully contained a 1,000 acre wildfire in Blanco County Tuesday. While crews are mopping up work there, the state has prepared firefighting resources across the state to extinguish any threats heading into the weekend.

Whether you live near the Greenbelt in Austin, or out in the Hill Country, local fire officials said now is the time for homeowners to take action to protect their properties from fires. "A small fire can turn into a large blaze and be a multi-acre incident in a very short time period," said Williamson County Fire Marshal Hank Jones.

Williamson County has spent this month going through county parks, like the Twin Pines Preserve, in order to mitigate the fire danger. While they’re working with the county land, Jones said there are a couple of things you can do to extinguish any threats before they happen, like creating what’s called a defensible space:

Clean gutters
Pick up leaves and brush around the home and move them far away or take them to be disposed of
Clean out vents
Manage the lawn

While there may not be a burn ban in your area, If you are caught burning during a red flag warning, you can be left with a hefty fine.

For those who are looking to burn, it’s best to check with your local fire department first as well as have a spotter nearby in case things get out of hand.

___
DOWNLOAD: FOX 7 AUSTIN NEWS APP
SUBSCRIBE: Daily Newsletter | YouTube
FOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter