Concerns over fires grow ahead of July 4 fireworks shows in Harris County amid drought conditions
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- There are a number of firework events taking place on the Fourth of July but with how dry it is across the Houston area, a fire starting is a real concern.
Being that the holiday lands on Monday this year, the concerns started over the weekend as people began celebrating early.
Families watched a grass fire instead of a planned firework show in Cypress over the weekend.
The show put on by Second Baptist Church was set to start Friday, July 1 at 9 p.m., but by 9:15 p.m. firefighters were putting out a fire.
No one was hurt, and the fire was contained to a three-acre area.
"Yes, we are in drought conditions, and it's a very dangerous time. The grass is very dry and ready to ignite. Due to state law, we are unable to ban fireworks. It was not dry enough at the time," said Lt. James Singleton with the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office.
The fire from over the weekend was a professional show so crews were already on stand by.
The Harris County Fire Marshal's Office posted some tips to staying safe.
- Before shooting fireworks, have a hose or water source on standby
- After you shoot, soak the fireworks for at least 15 minutes then drain the excess water
- Put the fireworks in a bag to keep them from drying out before throwing away
SEE RELATED STORY: Tomball officials cancel 4th of July firework show at festival amid dry conditions
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There are 171 Texas counties with burn bans, including Harris, Galveston, Waller, Fort Bend, Brazoria and Liberty counties.
SEE ALSO: Burn ban in effect for unincorporated parts of Harris County
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