Randall County issues ban on sale and use of fireworks through 7 a.m. July 5

With the majority of the Texas Panhandle falling under some higher level of drought conditions on Wednesday, Randall County initiated a ban of the sale and use of fireworks within the county due to extreme drought conditions through 7 a.m. July 5.

Randall County Fire Chief Joe Koch talked about the extreme drought conditions the county is currently under and the danger of fireworks usage causing fires within the county.

“The biggest thing is, I just want to have cooperation with the people coming through Randall County,” Koch said. “We are trying to protect citizens' investment in their homes and their property."

Over the past five years, Koch asserted that his department has averaged more than 20 fire calls during the Fourth of July holiday. This did not include all other regular calls for medical or traffic emergencies. He said that over the holiday weekend, almost 95% of fires are caused by fireworks.

Koch asked for support and cooperation from the community to help reduce fire risk within the county to prevent loss of life and property. He said that fireworks can cause grass fires, which can spread rapidly under the current drought conditions. He emphasized that in a minimal amount of time, these fires can spread into housing developments.

Juan Rodriguez, the Wildlife Urban Interface Coordinator for the Texas A&M Forest Service, spoke about how the year has been exceedingly difficult with multiple fires throughout the Texas Panhandle.

“These fuels that we have up here are very susceptible to ignition, and so any small spark such as a chain dragging on the highway, a cigarette thrown out into a field or anything like that can start a significant fire that’s very resistant to control,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez stated that elevated temperatures, severe drought and high winds have created ideal conditions for fires to propagate and spread with a high susceptibility to ignition. As dry as the area it is, fire can spread at a rapid rate and be exceedingly difficult to control.

“This recent rainfall we have seen in the area has given a slight break on wildfire outbreaks, but with the lack of overall rainfall combined with high temperatures and winds coming back into play, we are projecting a high risk for fires throughout the summer,” Rodriguez added. “It does not take much for a fire to ignite and spread rapidly with these dry conditions."

Rodriguez said that this is one of the busiest fire seasons he has been involved with.

According to Rodriguez, with the extremely dry conditions coupled with high winds, fires can travel three to five miles an hour and consume an area approximate to a football field per minute.

He said that he hopes that the Randall County fireworks ban helps to reduce the number of fires that are so predominant within the Panhandle.

“I am hoping that everyone has a safe summer and practices having defensible space around your homes,” Rodriguez said. “Please practice fire prevention and safety around your homes.”

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Randall County issues ban on sale and use of fireworks