Fires burned a total of 25 acres in south Taylor last Friday amid ongoing dry weather and included two heat-related injuries.
On June 24, the Taylor Fire Department and other agencies responded to two separate grass fires near the 200 block of Carlos G. Parker Boulevard SW near the intersection with Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Two firefighters sustained the non-life-threatening injuries and have fully recovered. After an investigation, the cause of the fire is undetermined.
Firefighters started the day with the first fire at approximately 8:45 a.m.
“(The first fire) was medium-to-high grass with fallen logs and driftwood,” said Assistant Fire Chief Robert Copeland.
Five acres were involved in that blaze. The situation was brought under control within a couple of hours.
Then at around 3 p.m. as firefighters were wrapping up the scene, they noticed a second fire to less than a mile to the east.
“That was about 20 acres and it involved medium-to-high body grasses and wooded area,” said Copeland. “There were never any danger of structures or homes.”
One of the hardest obstacles for the fire departments was getting access to the blaze.
“We ended up initially deploying drones to find access for the initial fire and the second fire,” said Copeland. “It was down in an area that isn’t easily accessed.”
Responding agencies included the volunteer Avery-Pickett Fire Department and fire departments from Hutto, Granger, Weir, Pflugerville, Manor and Williamson County Emergency Service District #10 from Thrall and Coupland.
Despite recent rain, Copeland wants to remind residents that the area remains extremely dry in hot temperatures, which means heat exhaustion and wildfire dangers remain.
“Everyone needs to take precaution when outside,” said Copeland, “not only heat emergencies but being very responsible with any kind of outdoor barbecuing, flame and especially fireworks.”
