Strong winds causing some fires in county

By Kyle Mooty

LPR Editor

While dealing with much smaller fires in Caldwell County, Emergency Management Chief Hector Rangel asked everyone to keep those fighting fires in California in their prayers.

While addressing Caldwell County Commissioners Court Tuesday morning, Rangel noted the Texas Forest Service was assisting in fighting the California fires.

Meanwhile, Rangel said there had been a few fires recently in Caldwell County, including the burning of construction materials and large rolls of Astroturf, both in the Dale area. Strong winds caused embers to catch grasses on fire.

Rangel said the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office had taken care of the burning of the Astroturf.

“Embers get out and start grass fires,” Rangel said. “With the last couple of freezes, we had really dry grass. If you’re gonna burn, don’t burn during high winds. If you’re burning in a barrel, make sure you have some type of screen over it to keep the embers from getting out.”

Rangel said the next chances of rain were “looking good” on Monday, Jan. 20 (50 percent), and Tuesday, Jan. 28 (60 percent). 

“We might have a little icy participation on Monday, so just be careful, Rangel said.

The burn ban remains off in Caldwell County.

In other business:

Commissioners approved the following:

* Increasing the county mileage reimbursement rate to the IRS standard rate of 70 cents per mile effective FY 2025, up from 65 cents per mile.

* A replat of lot 9 at Koeglar Hills, consisting of three residential lots on approximately 10 acres located on Garrett Trail in Maxwell.

* Commissioner Ed Theriot was named Caldwell County Judge Pro Tem.

* Nominating Commissioner Theriot to serve as the county voting member for the Region 11 Guadalupe Regional Flood Planning Group (RFPG).

* Commissioners agreed to keep the twice-monthly meeting site (second and fourth Tuesdays) at the Caldwell County Courthouse courtroom beginning at 9 a.m.

* The reappointment of William Hamilton and Josie Martinez as Commissioners on the Caldwell County ESD #3 Board of Directors, with terms expiring Dec. 31, 2026.

* The reappointment of Rebecca King to the ESD #5 Board of Commissioners to serve from Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2026.

* Approved an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with City of Luling with regards to the Evacuation Center project.

* Representatives of Prairie View A&M and the Travis County Extension Office addressed Commissioners regarding their work in Caldwell County. Included in that work with the Caldwell County Extension Office has been the feral hog management program.

* A budget amendment moving $1,283.92 to a Miscellaneous Feral Hog account. The county will end the software program, for now, on the traps, but will take complete ownership of them.

* Commissioner Dyral Thomas reminded everyone of the MLK March on Monday, Jan. 20 (see related article, Page 1).

* Commissioner Rusty Horne noted the Caldwell County Homeless Coalition would be attempting to get a head count of the county’s homeless population by Thursday, Jan. 23.