In the Midst of a Drought, Fires at The Green Muse and Katz's

Two fires to report on today: first, the recently shuttered Katz's Deli caught fire when a wayward cigarette cast aside in the smoking area of Momo's caused a minor fire. Police reported $2,000 in damages; no one was hurt.

The second fire started in a shed behind The Green Muse on Oltorf; the fire eventually jumped to the deck and the interior of the cafe has some smoke and water damage. A business next door was damaged as well. Damage estimates are north of $100,000 and the causes of the fire are still unknown.

Travis County is in the midst of a severe drought, and with the next several months not looking much wetter, maybe we should watch where we toss those cigarettes?

· Minor Damage to Katz’s Deli After Overnight Fire [Statesman]
· South Austin Fire Damages Two Businesses [KVUE]
· 2011 Drought Outlook Grim for Central Texas [KLBJ]