FIRES CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY

June 26 2011, 6:34 pm

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Burn Ban in Effect – Prohibido Encender Fuego

All Fireworks Banned – Prohibido Encender Fuegos Artificiales

Starting early this morning firefighters have been running not just illegal burns but grass fires, debris fires and mulch fires. At one point this afternoon the humidity dropped to 39% and within minutes calls started to come into the dispatch center.

New Caney Fire Department had a large fire on Baptist Encampment which the cause has not been determined as of yet. Boxes of clothing, tools, home improvement goods all stacked in a backyard ignited. The fire made it to the edge of the woods where it was stopped. When the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office spotted it the homeowner was using a garden hose in an attempt to extinguish it. After shuttling several tanks of water a neighbor offered to take some boards off his fence and allow firefighters to run a 5” hose through his yard to the fire hydrant in front of his home.

With plenty of water firefighters had to fight the heat to break the piles down in an attempt to get to the embedded fire. As they were doing this a house fire was reported requiring Porter and Caney Creek to assist on it. That fire turned out to be an air conditioner electrical short and was quickly extinguished.

Also during the time New Caney was on the fire Cleveland reported a grass fire in the median of US 59 near the Cleveland city limits. Porter was dispatched to a grass fire along the freeway near FM 1314.

Needham Road Fire Department had to to return to the mulch fire behind Oak Ridge where with the help of South Montgomery County Fire Department yesterday had to extinguish it. Today’s fire the owner did as he did yesterday using a front end loader to break the pile. Mulch fires normally start in the summer months with spontaneous combustion.

Caney Creek was dispatched to a grass fire on Payne Road near Edgefield. When they arrived on the scene a grass fire about 1/4 acre in size was quickly growing. They were able to control and extinguish it before it got into the woods or a swampy area directly behind it.

The Burn Ban continues as does the ban on fireworks.

Jamie Nash-Engle got something started on Facebook yesterday for people in Montgomery County. Using a photo of the Montgomery County Burn Ban Sign along the roads, she created a Facebook profile photo to replace your Facebook photo with. It too has grown in popularity as she has been getting requests all day for copies of the photo.

The Fire Marshal’s Office is out patrolling the county in search of violators. Citations are being issued. A reminder though is if you are caught shooting any type of firework or selling them, a ticket is not an option.. Under the emergency order adopted by Commissioners Court on Monday, is a Class B Misdemeanor which is nothing less than being arrested and booked into the Montgomery County Jail or Montgomery County Juvenile Facility. You will be required to post a bond to be released. In addition having to retain an attorney for an appearance before a Montgomery County Court Judge, not a Justice of the Peace.