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UPDATE: The Bastrop County Commissioners Court has extended the burn ban order set last week through to midnight Monday, March 24.
Bastrop County continues to battle the hazards of heavy winds and arid conditions, as wildfires spark despite a local disaster declaration and burn ban order—most recently destroying a rural home in Clearview.
County Judge Gregory Klaus March 13 declared the imminent threat of widespread damage, injury or loss of life from wildfires, simultaneously placing a restriction on outdoor burns. The issues come after the county has not seen significant rainfall for an extended period of time, and forecasts offer little promise of change in the dry conditions, according to Klaus.
“The magnitude of the potential damage and the rapidity at which such a fire could escalate to major portions constitute an immediate threat of disaster,” he said in the order.
The burn ban will remain in effect until midnight March 19, or upon the date the Bastrop County Commissioners Court determines that present circumstances are no longer hazardous.
“The purpose of this order is the mitigation of the public safety hazard posted by wildfires during the current dry weather conditions by curtailing the practice of outdoor burning,” Klaus added.
Under the order, a person is in violation if they ignite or cause the ignition of any combustible or vegetative material outdoors.
If notified of a suspected outdoor burning, a commissioned peace officer will investigate the scene after responding departments contain and extinguish any fires. Violations are punishable by a fine up to $500, according to the county.
The order does not prohibit cooking with an above-ground, covered grill in a clear area or welding, cutting and grinding operations, except on Red Flag Warning days designated by the National Weather Service—which the county has seen multiple of in the past two weeks.
A Red Flag Warning states that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly, a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures, according to the service.
During a March 15 Red Flag Warning, an afternoon blaze in south Bastrop County claimed the home of Ray Bousquet, who said he has lived there 35 years.
No injuries were reported in the rural dwelling fire in the 100 block of East Clearview Cemetery Road, thanks to the assistance of bystanders.
According to witnesses, a group of friends on dirt bikes spotted smoke and rushed to the single- story, wood-frame structure. One of the riders, a former firefighter, began banging on the door and awoke Bousquet.
“I opened up my door and there was a fire,” said Bosquet, the only person there at the time. “I don’t know what started it.”
He also feared for his cats’ safety, though witnesses said they saw some of the pets make it out.
Bousquet’s wife was out of town, he added.
Bastrop County fire units, sheriff’s deputies and a standby ambulance made the scene, while several neighbors were also on hand to help. After the flames were doused, the structure collapsed, witnesses said. Cherished artwork created by a relative inside the building apparently was lost, according to Bousquet.
The cause of the conflagration remains under investigation, officials said. “We have not seen extreme wildfire risk like this in many years,” Bastrop/ Travis County ESD No. 1 said in a statement. “(This week) is the perfect storm of bad weather events—high winds, low humidity, extreme drought, dormant fuels from the extreme cold in late February.”
It ’s extremely important to adhere to the county’s burn ban during these risky periods, the National Weather Service added—asking residents to dispose of cigarettes appropriately, secure any chains or pieces of dragging metal, do not park recently driven cars on dry grass and avoid using lawnmowers.
“It just takes one little spark,” the ESD said. “With conditions being so dry, when something starts, it’s going to start and spread quick.”
