The Tomball Fire Department battled yet another blaze believed to be directly related to the ongoing drought decimating southeast Texas.

At approximately 1 p.m. on June 14, the Tomball Fire Department responded to a call near the intersection of Ulrich and Zion. There fire fighters discovered a blaze that had ignited among a large area of dry brush.

According to Assistant Chief John Fontenot, the fire grew to about 10 acres, away from the street and back into the wooded area northeast of the intersection. At least two homes were threatened by the fire, but none were damaged. Also, no injuries were reported.

A house on the southwest corner of the fire was perilously close to the outer edge of the brush fire and another house farther to the north was in danger. However, Fontenot said both structures were saved from damage and the fire was controlled.

“We were real concerned about the fire spreading,” he said, “so we put a lot more water on it than we normally would on a fire.”

He said the strategy worked and the department was not called back out to the scene.

Fontenot said the Tomball Fire Department battled the blaze with two booster trucks, an engine truck and a tanker. Magnolia Volunteer Fire Department also responded to the blaze with two booster trucks and one engine truck.

This is the latest of several such brush fires the Tomball Fire Department has battled as arid conditions continue to grip the greater Houston area. Fontenot called the latest fire “kind of a smaller one,” and said the department has recently battled larger fires in south Tomball on S. Cherry and Holderreith and on the west side of town on Holderreith.

There is currently a burn ban in place issued by the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office.

Fontenot explained that under such extreme conditions, extra precautions should be taken.

“Right now with the humidity level being so low and the heat index so high, simply throwing a cigarette butt out the window is a huge cause (of fires),” he said. “So, no smoking material out of car windows, no outside burning.”

Fontenot also said to take extra care when grilling outside. He instructed residents to wet areas around a barbecue pit with water in case of falling embers and to keep pits at least 10 feet away from houses.

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