CHINA GROVE, Texas -- One area mayor and fire chief whose city saw hundreds of acres consumed by fire over the New Year's holiday is applauding Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff's intention to ban the sale and use of all fireworks across the county over the upcoming holiday sales period.

As a windy cold front drove through the region on Dec. 31, 2007, about 500 acres in China Grove were burned by various grass fires. China Grove is located in the southeast area of Bexar County.

"The whole county was just strapped," said Mike Winfield, China Grove's volunteer fire chief. "There was no fire department available (and) radio traffic was crazy. Luckily, we got through it."

After last year's fires, vendor Alamo Fireworks agreed to shut down its safe zone in the area, but Winfield's staff had to supervise other safe zones over the Independence Day holiday until they were called to fires.

"In order to shut it down, the fire department would have to go through there chasing everybody out to make sure everybody left the area," he said.

Mayor Dennis Dunk also said he was pleased to learn about Wolff's decision.

Despite the overnight precipitation, Wolff cited ongoing drought conditions as the main reason for banning all fireworks sales and use across the county. On Tuesday, the county voted to ban aerial fireworks. The ban could be rescinded if weather conditions change.

Kendall County has also banned the sale and use of all fireworks, while Guadalupe, Kerr and Medina counties are considering all-out bans in addition to bans on aerial fireworks already in place.