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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 10, 2006

Collin County continues to sustain extreme drought conditions: Fire prevention and precaution a necessity

(McKinney, TX) – Despite a small amount of rainfall in north Texas earlier in the week, Collin County remains under a burn ban and continues to sustain extreme drought conditions.

“It is imperative that residents of Collin County remember that something as small as a discarded cigarette can create a raging grassfire within a few short minutes,” says Collin County Judge Ron Harris. “We want our residents and their property to remain safe as we endure these dry conditions.”

On Tuesday, several grass fires erupted in Collin County. One, located near the community of Pike in the northwestern section of the county, consumed more than 100 acres, a travel trailer and four barns. It also temporarily threatened six homes. The damage estimate of the structures is $40,000. Most of the land destroyed was used for grazing, so this will cause a problem for farmers and ranchers. The fire was sparked by an earlier fire in the county when an ember jumped a roadway into a nearby grass field.

“Early detection, immediate reporting and quick response are necessary to mitigate fire loss,” says Collin County Fire Marshal Steve Deffibaugh.

Collin County is entering its 59th day of a burn ban. Temperatures are expected to increase later in the week and throughout the weekend. Collin County continues to have two officers (deputy sheriffs, deputy constables or deputy fire marshals) on every afternoon and evening for burn ban patrol and to respond to fire calls.

“This is a serious situation,” says Judge Harris. “We are continuing to urge residents to not extinguish cigarettes outside, to not conduct trash burns and to report burn ban violations to the nearest law enforcement agency.”

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