As the Texas drought diminished soil moisture and dried out
pastures and rangeland, wildfires reports have heated up,
according to the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas
Forest Service.  During one 24-hour period, the agencies
reported major fire activity in Atascosa, Bastrop, Bandera,
Callahan, Erath County, Garza Henderson, Jack, Kenedy, Kerr,
Parker, Runnels, Walker and Wilson counties.  In Henderson
County, there have only been a few grass fires so far, but
conditions are such that fires can rapidly get out of control,
according to Rich Hirsch, AgriLife Extension agent for
agriculture and natural resources.  "Things are so dry and the
humidity so low that when something does start, it just takes
off. It's unbelievable how fast it can spread," he said.  Hirsch
and other AgriLife Exension agents are advising their clientele
to use common sense. Even normal field activities, such as
dragging equipment, not to mention high-risk activities such as
welding, can lead to a wildfire, he said.  Extremel