AUSTIN, Texas — Emergency officials are warning residents in areas prone to wildfires to not be fooled by the recent rainy weather and prepare for fire season early.

  • Fire season around the corner
  • Residents urged to be prepared
  • A dry season may be coming mid-July

During a Wednesday press conference with the Capital Area Council of Governments, Texas Forest Services said its weather forecast predicts a long, dry season starting in mid-July. During that time, vegetation that grew earlier in the year could dry up, creating plenty of fuel for potential wildfires.

Officials stressed that residents in those areas should start preparing now before it's too late. Wildfire Specialist Fire Marshal Will Boettner said being prepared is key to staying safe during emergencies.

"If you're gonna sit there and not pay any attention to what's going on around you then you're gonna be surprised by what's happening," Boettner said. "But if you stay informed, and you stay alert, and you watch the TV weather, even if you get apps on the phone that give you updates on the weather, that's really key because that maintains what we call your situational awareness."

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Residents can create emergency plans within their households to deal with emergencies like wildfires. Fire officials are encouraging neighborhoods to create what they call firewise communities, where neighbors help each other prepare for wildfire events.

CAPCOG officials also talked about staying alert using WarnCentralTexas.org, a website that alerts users when emergencies are happening near them or near any address they choose to register. Alerts from this site are also available on your phone through the app, Everbridge.