By Scott Harvey
– A local fire official warns that while the spread of wildfires is not imminent in Northeast Texas, compared to other parts of the state, do not become complacent.
Steve Deffibaugh is with the prevention department of the Texas Forest Service serving the region. He says don't be fooled by the fact that you may not be under a burn ban where you reside, or even that recent rainfall.
"You might receive a half inch of rain that's really nice, it's good and we really need it. But also on a hot, windy day you can have evaporation of up to a quarter or more inch that just kind of negates that rain you received."
Deffibaugh adds that over 90 percent of wildfires are caused by humans, most of it unknowingly by anything from leaving campfires unattended or even parking or driving in dry grass.
"In this area we have lots of lakes and lots of people that have different kind of trailers. And they pull them along the road and with those they have safety chains," Deffibaugh says. "Sometimes those chains hit the ground they spark, and any little spark can start a fire."
He encourages you to visit texasfirestorm.org for more information.