Last year, the largest wildfire in Texas history devastated parts of the Texas Panhandle. Burning more than 1,200,000 acres, the Smokehouse Creek Fire took almost 3 weeks to contain and caused more than $123,000,000 in damages.
Like most wildfires, it was preventable.
Historically, Texas experiences an average of 9,000 wildfires each year. 2023 saw 7,530 fires while 2022 produced over 12,000; in 2011 there were almost 31,000. While some only burn a few acres, others, like Smokehouse Creek, destroy hundreds of farms, ranches, and homes.
Some wildfires are caused by lightning, but about 90% are caused by human error. Of the 7,530 Texas wildfires in 2023, 6,708 were caused by people. Many times, it’s as simple as a campfire left unattended, debris burned improperly, or a carelessly discarded cigarette.
Most wildfires in Texas are caused by careless debris burning, so it’s important to pay attention to and respect burn bans. A bit of ash or a spark can be the beginning of a horrible and preventable disaster.
A few tips for safer debris burning:
- Avoid burning trash, leaves, and brush on dry windy days.
- Before doing any burning, establish wide control lines down to bare soil at least 5 feet wide around any burn barrels and even wider around brush piles and other piled debris to be burned. The larger the debris pile, the wider the control line needed to ensure burning materials won’t be blown or roll off the pile into vegetation outside the line.
- Burn household trash only in a burn barrel or other trash container equipped with a screen or metal grid to keep burning material contained.
- Stay with outdoor fires until they are completely out.
- Keep water and tools ready in case your fire starts to spread.
A wildfire can grow rapidly out of control when the 3 following conditions are present: oxygen, fuel, and a heat source.
The fuel can be any flammable materials near the wildfire. The dry vegetation of cold and dry winter months creates a wealth of fuel for wildfires. The heat source can be things like campfires, cigarettes, an overheated gas engine, or even warm winds.