ODESSA, Texas -- The Texas Forest Service is already preparing for the upcoming fire seasons, but the oil boom may play a key role in the organization's preparedness and staff numbers.
Assistant Chief of the West Branch for the TFS Lori Hazel said because of the number of jobs available in the oilfield and their higher rate of pay, finding people to fill their six open spots in the Midland office may be difficult.
Having received 67 applicants, Hazel said the closing period to file an application ends Monday, but the high number of applications doesn't necessarily mean the positions will get filled.
"The positions are entry level jobs," Hazel said. "They pay about $12 an hour."
The TFS, a centralized state organization, can shift personnel around the state to areas where firefighters are needed the most, Hazel said. By watching weather patterns and the drought index, company personnel can be placed to help out in areas where fire danger is higher.
Firefighters from other states and from the federal government are also brought in to help the TFS when fires get too big or staff is stretched too thin.
"They (out of state firefighters) will come and work for the state of Texas just like they did last year," Hazel said about the number who responded to help with the fires in 2011.
During last year's drought, fires burned more than 3.9 million acres across the state. The agency's website stated that as of Thursday, 100 of the Texas' 254 counties were still under a burn ban. The drought was so bad, a record-setting 251 counties issued burn bans in 2011.
Both Ector and Midland Counties lifted their burn bans earlier in the year.
Should additional firefighters be brought in, the forest service would need to house the additional personnel in hotels; however, Hazel said because so many people are working during the oil boom, housing has become a hard thing to find.
"This time last year, we had over 100 hotel (rooms) available," Hazel said. "We're not going to find 100 rooms day in and day out for several months."
With an inability to house firefighters in Odessa or Midland, Hazel said they would have to stay wherever there was room; even it was in Fort Stockton or Lubbock. Should that happen, response times could be longer.
"If we put them in Fort Stockton and the fire is in Monahans or Pecos, it'll be that much longer to get there," Hazel said. "It's just delays our ability to respond in a timely fashion."
Precipitation, while still scare, has been more prevalent around the Permian Basin, and more is expected to be on the way.
National Weather Service Meteorologist Eric Platt in Midland said the three month extended forecast shows higher than average temperatures, but is expected to bring more rain than last year.
Between April and June, Midland International Airport reported 0.05 inches of rain. This year, Platt said the area can expect to see the average amount of rainfall -- which totals 4.2 inches.
Since Jan. 1, the area has received 1.26 inches; more than the 0.11 inches recorded at this time last year.
Platt said the best chances of rain will come Friday afternoon.
"People need to understand we're still in a drought," Platt said. "The old grasses are plenty dry and plenty ready to burn."
Copyright 2012 - Odessa American, Texas
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
