Public Information Office 210 S. McDonald Street Suite 626 McKinney, Texas 75069 www.collincountytx.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 29, 2005

Collin County issues precautions in wake of recent fires in North Central Texas

(McKinney, TX) – As fire conditions are expected to worsen in North Central Texas, Collin County Judge Ron Harris has issued a disaster declaration and an executive order. Under the declaration, the county is restricting the outside use of combustible materials in unincorporated areas. Additionally, the executive order restricts the sale and discharge of certain aerial fireworks, being “rockets with sticks” and “missiles with fins.” Residents are asked to voluntarily ban all other fireworks. A burn ban is already in effect in the unincorporated areas. The burn ban was first initiated in July and has since been reinstated four times by the Commissioners Court.

Governor Rick Perry issued a Declaration of Disaster for the state. Collin County is acting on authority granted through his declaration to protect the public's safety.

According to the National Weather Service, drought conditions are expected to deteriorate on Friday and Saturday, December 30-31st. This means there is an increased risk of wildfires.

Because of drought conditions, fires can be ignited by simple outdoor activities such as construction and welding. The use of fireworks can also contribute to wildfires.

“We are encouraging residents of Collin County to exercise caution when conducting any type of outdoor activity,” says Judge Harris. “Under a burn ban, residents are prohibited from igniting any type of contained outdoor fire. We also want residents to not carelessly discard lit cigarettes and unrestricted hand-held fireworks.”

“Collin County has already sustained several wildfires this week,” says Collin County Commissioner Joe Jaynes, who represents a large portion of the county’s unincorporated area. “It is important for residents to work together to minimize any additional wildfire risks.”

A future ban on all fireworks may be determined if additional precautions for public safety are identified over the next few days.

If Collin County residents see a fire, they are asked to call 9-1-1 immediately. “Some residents have called their local volunteer fire departments instead of 9-1-1,” says Fire Marshal Steve Deffibaugh. “This wastes valuable time. 9-1-1 is always the number one option.”

“The number of law enforcement professionals, including the Sheriff’s Office, Constables and the Fire Marshal's Office, will significantly increase in unincorporated areas to further aid in reducing the potential for wildfires, but citizens can do even more by being extremely cautious during these emergency conditions,” says Judge Harris.

When a burn ban is not in effect, a burn permit is required to do any outdoor burning in Collin County. Residents may check the status of outdoor burning by calling the fire marshal’s information line at 972-548-4799.

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View the official document to review the specifics of the Executive Order.