(March 3, 2009)

DINERO--The windy and dry conditions this afternoon caused four grass fires in the Coastal Bend area and the worst one was in Live Oak County. All were caused by accident and firefighters said they could have been prevented.

First there was a 50-acre grass fire in Sandia in Jim Wells County. Then, another big grass fire in Bee County near Mineral. Those two were blamed on sparks from a hay bailing machine.

There was also a small, one-acre fire in Alice in Jim Wells County, but the biggest one was a several hundred acre blaze in Live Oak County.

We knew conditions would be pretty bad this afternoon with some red flag warnings in some counties. The fire in Live Oak County was blamed on a control burn that got out of hand.

Volunteer firefighters from Swinney Switch in Live Oak County ran out to fight the grass fire near a Dinero ranch. On the property, there were some cattle watching the blaze burn a couple hundred acres of grass.

The ranch was pretty far from homes, but it still put a scare into firefighters.

"The fire had just jumped across the road and was out in this pasture here," said Jimmy Jones, a volunteer firefighter with the Swinney Switch Fire Department. "That's when I called for the fire department."

Firefighters said a ranch hand was conducting a control burn during the morning hours and put it out, but the wind picked up and ignited the blaze in the afternoon.

"It was out when we left for dinner, but when we came back it was burning again," said Vernon Bryan, who was the ranch hand involved with the control burn. "I mean that's why it jumped over here."

Firefighters watered down hot spots and contained the fire within an hour.

"We got hot spots." Jones said. "We're just doing a mop up right now. Back where you see all the smoke right there that's old hay bales there going to smoulder right now."

With these dangerous winds and dry conditions, firefighters and ranchers said they learned a powerful lesson.

"People need to be careful what's going on and make sure all their fires are out, if they have a control burn," Jones said. 

"We're not going to burn anymore until it rains," said Bryan. 

There is a burn ban in Live Oak County, but firefighters wouldn't say if the ranch hand will get a ticket.

--Manuel De La Rosa, Area 3 News, mdelarosa@kiiitv.com