Fire guard project set to begin

By David H. Waller

Phase one of a planned fire guard project aimed at reducing wildfire risk near Albany is set to begin soon, with work taking place on land on the southwest edge of town near County Road 187 and Highway 180.

The project, coordinated by Albany Fire Chief Joel Viertel, includes Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS) cutting a 20-30 foot fire guard around the perimeter of the property using motor graders and a bulldozer. The Albany Volunteer Fire Department and county brush trucks will provide support, with Ryan Walser, an experienced fire manager, overseeing the burn process.

The burn will be scheduled approximately 48 hours in advance, once wind conditions are favorable, ensuring that smoke does not drift into town. “We have to have a wind out of the southeast, because we don’t want to cover the town with smoke,” Viertel explained. 

Phase one is expected to take two days, with the burn starting shortly after the fire break is completed. “As soon as they get the fire break cut out, we’re on the clock at that point. We will be waiting on the wind, and it must be just right,” Viertel said.

Coordination with landowners and the TFS is ongoing. However, the Forest Service will not be responsible for maintaining the fire breaks after they are cut, which corrects an incorrect report in the first Albany News article in February. “They will be paid by the landowner to cut the fire guards, but they can’t maintain them,” Viertel clarified.

With high winds in the forecast, the county burn ban is now in effect, and officials will carefully monitor conditions before proceeding with the burn.

Future phases of the fire guard project will depend on landowner cooperation, with additional sections planned west and south of Rose Addition. The goal is to create a model for other landowners to follow, reducing fire risk across the county. “If everything goes perfectly, this will give confidence to other people looking at this plan,” Viertel said.