Williamson County fire departments team up to fight wildfires

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas - Fire departments across Williamson County have teamed up to wash out wildfires.

"High heat, very dry conditions, and then when you get low relative humidity and some significant winds, you start to create all the perfect conditions for a potential wildfire," said David Cella, deputy chief of hazmat at the Williamson County Fire Marshal's office.

Already, Williamson County first responders fought an almost 300-acre fire near Jarrell in July.

As of Saturday, the county is in a burn ban and a red flag warning.

"We knew in the pasts several years that incidents would escalate and grow to a larger scale, so we had a couple planning meetings and decided 'hey, what's a better way to get these resources deployed quickly, more efficient and have better resource tracking?'" said Cella.

The answer they came up with- a countywide task force.

Cobb Creek Fire 95 percent contained

Crews have contained the Cobb Creek Fire in Williamson County to 95 percent. The fire has so far burned through 300 acres of land.

"By going to the task force model and then just pulling resources from several different departments from across the other quadrants that are being affected," said Cella. "That doesn't deplete resources in those areas."

The task force divides Williamson County into four quadrants across I-35 and SH 29.

If an incident commander on scene calls for backup other fire engines, ambulances and even a battalion chief will report for duty from one of those four quadrants.

"From a county standpoint, it gives us better management of these resources," said Cella. "It's better for tracking, better for deploying, better for resource allocation, just overall it makes it a smoother process."

So far, the county said it's called on the task force about three times this summer.

Fire officials said you can help them prevent fires by abiding by the burn bans in place.