Whether you’re a new home owner or have been living in the same house for decades, drought season is the time for Houstonites and other Texas residents to minimize the risk from seasonal fires. Houston-based tractor company Mahindra USA, says that taking a few, common sense precautions can protect your home and property. So if you live in the area, or are planning on buying a new home in Houston, you might want to read the following.
Tips for preventing wildfire provided by the Texas Forest Service.
Mahindra USA’s Marketing Communications Manager, Martin Cisneros, notes, “Many of our customers live in rural areas, where there is a lot of brush and flammable material.”
The Texas Forest Service makes these recommendations for fire safety:
- Create a defensible space of at least 30 feet around your house and outbuildings; closely mow lawns, and prune trees, keeping them spaced widely apart.
- Establish fuel breaks along roadways and between buildings and fields or woodlands.
- Keep mufflers and spark arresters on equipment in proper working order and watch out for rocks and metal when mowing.
- Watch out for sparks when using welding equipment to build fences or repair equipment.
- Avoid driving or parking vehicles in grassy areas where tall, dry grass comes into contact with hot pollution-control equipment under vehicles.
- Postpone outdoor burning until your area greens up. Check with local fire department to determine if ban on outdoor burning has been lifted.
When debris burning is allowed, establish wide control lines down to bare mineral soil prior to lighting your fire. Burn trash in a burn barrel or other fire-safe receptacle covered with a wire mesh or grid that will help contain burning debris. And absolutely stay with your fire until it is out-many wildfires and brush fires are caused by hot embers from waning fires.
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Hi All
This article has some great tips and here is one more. I am in Fredericksburg Texas real estate industry and I show a lot of land & ranches for sale, and it never fails when some agent or customer who is not used to being out on a ranch comes out to look at listings, they will pull there car or truck off into tall grass and park. Never do this, if the grass is high enough to touch your exhaust pipes it can and will catch on fire. I have seen it happen several times and after all the wild fires this year I urge everyone to be a little more cautious.