Central Texas is in a long drought cycle, despite occasional rain. Dry NWACA landscapes and the homes within are vulnerable to wildfire because we live in a greenbelt with a lot of wildfire fuel in its dead and down material. Our homes are most at risk from flying embers. They can be made relatively safe by removing debris, sealing all points of entry from flying embers, and clearing dead and dry vegetation. If you haven’t yet done so, please get a free home assessment to help you identify your risks. Use the Firewise Request form in the Get Involved menu on the home page.
For more information on preventing wildfire see the entries in the Resources/Library menu, under Wildfire Prevention and scan the wildfire prevention tips in the Wildfire Prevention entry in the Blog menu.
Until July, sap beetles are attracted to fresh tree wounds and can transmit the oak wilt fungus to a healthy oak tree during pruning. The heat of July-August is believed to suppress the beetles and reduce the risk of infection. Note that all trees are under the normal stress of summer, depending on soil moisture, and some are still in their growing season then. So if you haven’t completed pruning of oaks by now, it’s best to wait until fall.