Be careful, mowing tall grass may start a fire!

BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas (KBTX) - Since late June, firefighters in Brazos County have responded to more than 60 grass fires, and this doesn’t include fires in the cities of Bryan and College Station. Unfortunately, many of these fires were caused by human activities.

Joe Boyd, the Fire Chief of Brazos County District 2 Volunteer Fire Department, joined First News at Four to discuss how residents can help their local fire departments by preventing fires from starting.

“We’ve had an extraordinary fire season in the worst possible way,” explained Boyd.

Boyd says he’s thankful for the support from their members and surrounding organizations. He believes the organizations working together has played a huge role in how fast they are able to contain the fires and prevent loss.

While everyone may have heard not to burn trash or improperly dispose of smoking materials, some fires are started in unexpected ways. From chains dragging off the back of a trailer to compost piles with grease underneath there are all sorts of ways fires can start that people may not think of. However, there’s one cause in particular that Boyd has seen a lot of lately.

“I believe I have personally been on three separate fires in the last week that were started by lawnmowers. So try not to take your lawnmower through a bunch of tall stuff right now. Obviously, we live and work out in the rural environment out here, so try not to take your lawnmower out through the pasture, the stuff seems to be binding up under them and causing fires that way,” he said.

While something like mowing the lawn seems like a commonplace activity, it’s important to be aware of the consequences during these dry conditions.

Watch the full interview in the player above to learn more.

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