SAN ANGELO, TX — A few hours after the burn ban was lifted in Tom Green County, Grape Creek VFD, and Quail Valley VFD were dispatched to a grass fire call just outside the city limit.
According to the Grape Creek VFD, at approximately 6:56 p.m. both volunteer fire departments were dispatched to the 500 block of Cauley Lane. The fire burned nearly three acres before the volunteers were able to contain the flames.
The fire began as a controlled burn but soon began to burn out of control. The fire did reach a structure on the property, but the firefighters were able to put out the flames before significant damage was done to the building. San Angelo Live was not permitted further access to the property by the owners.
Watch: Check Out The Scene at Cauley Lane
The fire jumped the property line and was “moving into a very heavily brush area” which presented an initial challenge for the volunteers, according to GCVFD Deputy Chief Rivera. The firefighters had to act quickly to contain the head of the fire.
According to Rivera, homeowners need to be aware that the dry vegetation mixed with high temperatures and gusty winds can have a disastrous effect.
“Today the Tom Green County Commissioners Court made the decision to lift the burn ban in our county and that is not a decision our volunteer fire department was in favor of,” said Rivera. “As you can tell the conditions are still very favorable for a wildfire. We have a lot of dry vegetation…we have a lot of overgrowth and dead vegetation because of the high temperatures we experienced today.”
“If there had been more wind today this fire could easily have gotten to homes on Cauley Lane and been a serious fire,” said Rivera. “Grape Creek Volunteer Fire Department does not recommend any type of outdoor burning including prescribed burns at this time."
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