TEMPLE, Texas (KXXV) — Terry Malovets has been running Glen's Welding on South 1st Street since 2012.
- KPD said no outdoor flames during wind advisories.
- Outdoor grill, lawnmowers, and welding use is not recommended.
- If you see a fire, remember the exact location and call it in immediately.
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"I watch the weather and if we have a wind advisory we usually won't go out and weld in the field we will wait for the winds to die down," Malvoets said.
She tells me firefighters say the best thing to do under these critical fire conditions is to stay inside. So, her men are staying inside Friday due to windy weather, even though they have a backup for the field.
"Our mobile truck always has fire-resistant blankets and two fire extinguishers and there is always a watchman to make sure that a fire does not start," Malvoets said.
James Battle is a volunteer firefighter with Moffat and the owner of a lawn care business. The weather prevented him from operating his machinery.
"Any little thing can set a fire off within seconds, sparks from a lawn mower, sparks from a weeder," Battle said.
As a first responder, he says he has witnessed fires started by everyday tools like welding and lawnmowers here in Bell County.
"It’s very stressful. If the fire is in an open field, it's not as bad, but if it's somewhere close to someone's house, it adds to the importance of putting it out," Battle said.
Killeen Fire Chief James Kubinski advises our neighbors to do nothing outside that involves an open flame.
"Even a gas grill if you have some sort of an amber that comes off of that with these winds it takes it from 10 feet from where these devices are located and next thing you know you've got a huge wildland fire," Kubinski said.
Remember the exact address if you see a fire, get to a safe place, and call 911 immediately.
"Give all the information to the dispatcher before you continue, if you cannot wait for the fire department, we understand. That gives us a better chance of an accurate location and the quicker we get to the location the better chance we can get it extinguished before it gets too big," Kubinski said.
