NEWS
Forest Service urges Texas to prevent wildfires during holiday weekend
COLLEGE STATION, Texas—This Memorial Day, Texas A&M Forest Service encourages Texans to protect our great state by being mindful of activities that may start a wildfire. The start of summer is marked by vacations, outdoor activities like camping and grilling and celebrating holidays with family and friends – all of which could lead to sparking a wildfire.
Between 2017 and 2021, Texas A&M Forest Service responded to 3,682 wildfires burning 1.4 million acres. Almost half of these wildfires occurred during the summer months, where the majority were caused by humans and their activities.
In Texas, 9 out of 10 wildfires are human-caused and completely preventable. The most common causes of wildfire ignitions during the summer months are debris burning and equipment use, which includes parking in dry grass and dragging trailer chains.
“Texas A&M Forest Service encourages all residents to stay safe during the holiday weekend,” said Karen Stafford, Texas A&M Forest Service Wildfire Prevention Program Coordinator. “Every Texan has a role to play in protecting our state from wildfires and preventing any new ignitions. Remember to do your part, and don’t let a wildfire start.”
While some portions of the state have received rainfall recently, some regions have not received any significant precipitation. The hot, dry summer months will continue to intensify drought conditions and support wildfire ignitions.
“The high summer temperatures across the state and an abundance of grass, brush and other dry vegetation can quickly turn an unintended spark into a wildfire,” says Stafford. “Be mindful of conditions and cautious of your outdoor activities that may cause a spark.”
Some simple tips to help avoid accidently starting a wildfire this Memorial Day weekend include:
- Park in designated spaces and avoid driving over and parking on dry grass—the heat from your vehicle can easily ignite the grass.
- Always check with local officials for burn bans or other outdoor burning restrictions. Each county in Texas sets and lifts their own burn bans. Make sure you know your county’s burn ban status and if it restricts open flames or other heat-causing activities such as using charcoal. View the latest burn ban map here: https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/burnbans/.
- When using a cooking fire or campfire, never leave it unattended. Always make sure it is completely out by drowning it with water, stirring it and feeling to ensure that it is out cold before you leave.
- If pulling a boat or camper, make sure the tow chains are properly connected and not dragging on the roadway creating sparks.
- Carry a fire extinguisher with you at all times in case a fire ignites near you.
For more information on preventing wildfires this summer, please visit https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/summerwildfires/.
The second community meeting on needs for an emergency room or hospital in Bowie is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Nov. 19 at the Bowie Community Center.
This is the second meeting to discuss these needs following the closure of the Faith Community Health Center emergency room on Oct. 6, just shy of a year of operation. More than 200 people attended that first meeting, where discussion centered on the creation of a taxing district to support any sort of medical facility.
Citizens in the Bowie area are encouraged to attend and take part in these discussions.
The Bowie City Council has moved its Nov. 18 meeting to 6 p.m. on Nov. 19 where three new council members will take the oath of office.
Councilors include Laura Sproles, precinct two, Brandon Walker, precinct one and Laramie Truax, precinct two. After the votes are canvassed and the oaths given, a mayor pro tem will be selected.
The new members will jump right into training as City Attorney Courtney Goodman-Morris provides an orientation and discussion of duties for council members.
City Manager Bert Cunningham will make his monthly report on the following topics: Nelson Street, which opened last Thursday, update on the sewer line replacement project, substation transformer placement and information on medical companies.
A closed executive session on the Laura McCarn vs. City of Bowie lawsuit is scheduled. The suit arose in November 2022 when the city broached selling some 25 acres it owns on Lake Amon G. Carter, originally part of the land purchased for the 500-acre Bowie Reservoir completed in 1985.
McCarn challenges the ownership of the property stating it should revert to the original owners since it was not used for the lake.
This 24.35 acre tract is located at the end of Indian Trail Road surrounded by the lake and the Silver Lakes Ranch subdivision.
One of Bowie’s major thoroughfares, Nelson Street, was reopened Thursday after one busy block has been closed since August 2021 when a section of the street failed.
Construction finally came to an end on Thursday when the street, including the Nelson and Mill intersection were reopened. Mayor Gaylynn Burris, City Manager Bert Cunningham, Councilors TJay McEwen and Stephanie Post, Engineer Mike Tibbetts and Public Works Director Stony Lowrance met at the site Thursday morning and removed the barricades. It only took a few minutes for vehicles to start arriving and drivers were excited to go through on the new roadway.
This section of Bowie has endured flooding and drainage problems for many years and in the summer of 2023 the city council finally bit the bullet and sought bids for the repair work expected to top $3 million. In August 2021 a one block section of Nelson was closed when a large sinkhole appeared on the north side of the street. Traffic had to be diverted including all the school traffic flowing from the nearby junior high and intermediate.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo – (Left) Mike Tibbetts, engineer with Hayter Engineering, talks with Bowie City Manager Bert Cunningham as they look over the massive drainage project on Nelson Street.
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