In light of the recent tri-county fire, the Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office (MCFMO) along with the Texas and U.S. Forest Services, hosted a town hall meeting Sept. 22 in Magnolia to educate residents on how to prepare and help prevent fires.

MCFMO said that even though areas of Montgomery, Waller and Grimes county saw slight rains recently, the drought is not over. The overall forecast shows that the drought will continue, possibly extending into 2012.

MCFMO and representatives from the Texas and U.S. Forest Services presented safety information to residents. The meetings gave residents a chance to learn how to prepare their property and work with firefighters to keep their property safe from wildfire.

Steps were also presented on how to prepare for evacuation and when to evacuate should a wildfire occur.

Florida Forest Service Wildfire Mitigation Specialist Annaleasa Winter was the main speaker at the event and explained different types of ways that fires affect homes. Winter said there is direct flames, indirect radiant heat and fire brands meaning embers.

She presented photographs of how direct flames are able to reach a home. Direct flames travel through fuel on the ground such as dead leaves, brush or dry wood.

Winter told residents that a 30-foot perimeter should be maintained around the home of “lean, clean landscape.”

The 30-foot perimeter, or defensible space, if kept maintained, will help prevent a fire from traveling close to the home.

The defensible space is “absolutely critical in the survival of a home,” she said.

Winter explained different types of native plants, such as a palmetto, that residents should be aware of that become combustible during a drought. 

Texas Forest Service Staff Forestor Dawn Volmer said fuels are increased because of the drought and there is very little moisture.

Winter said several homes suffered from radiant heat because flames lost fuel on the ground before they actually reached a home, but the heat from the nearby flames melted paneling on homes.

She cautioned residents on the horizontal and vertical continuity of plants and wood around the home, such as fences or shrubbery leading up to the home. Winter also said limbs should be trimmed. Residents should be able to see the sky when they look up, as a rule of thumb, she explained.

Fire brands were also a large cause to the number of homes lost. Winter said fire brands travel ahead of the fire and find any small hole or crevice on a roof or tree and can start a new fire. Residents were cautioned that cleaning their roof and making sure they had fire proof roofing and paneling would help prevent a fire from spreading to their homes.

Overall, she said maintaining the defensible space will help firefighters in saving homes.

The Texas Forest Service provided information from the nationally recognized wildfire safety initiative “Ready, Set, Go!”

“Ready” teaches citizens how to prepare so if you have to leave, you can leave knowing your home will survive, which included rules about the defensible space. Residents should create a disaster plan, have an escape route and keep a supply kit on hand with necessary items. Winter added that animals should be a part of your plan.

“Set” teaches a resident to have a higher sense of awareness about fires. Winter said before residents evacuate, make sure to turn off gas lines of air conditioning units in case a fire approaches your home. She said this will make the environment safer for a firefighter to approach the home.

Winter said “go” was very important because residents should not wait to be told to evacuate. If residents know a fire is near and have already made plans in case they need to evacuate, then they should go ahead and evacuate.

She cautioned that the wildfire crisis is not over.

“The danger is real,” she said. “The heat is staying in the ground. Firefighters need your help protecting your home.”

Urban District Forester John Warner said the Texas Forest Service along with local fire departments are constantly monitoring weather patterns and areas where fire activity is likely to strike.

Warner also complimented the overall response of the Magnolia community to the firefighters and wildfire calling it overwhelming.

“The way Magnolia responded was unheard of,” he said. “We have never seen that.”

MCFMO plans to hold more town hall meetings to educate residents about how to help prevent a fire from reaching a home and to teach the “Ready, Set, Go!” program.

For information about upcoming meetings or fire prevention, visit mctx.org/fire or facebook.com/mcfmo.

For those needing assistance FEMA officials have said fire victims in Montgomery, Walker, Grimes and Waller Counties can now register for federal and state disaster assistance. For more information, visit www.disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362.

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