CONTINUING COVERAGE: Extreme Wildfire Danger / Drought

[TexasStooge]

Fires scorch North Texas

Nearly a dozen homes lost in Tarrant County

By HOLLY YAN, JEFF MOSIER and SCOTT FARWELL / The Dallas Morning News

Diminishing winds and lower temperatures overnight allowed firefighters to gain the upper hand against grass fires that destroyed nearly a dozen homes in Tarrant County, charred hundreds of acres and prompted Gov. Rick Perry to declare a state of disaster Tuesday.

"We've got fires everywhere," Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Traci Weaver said. "We're losing homes in Hood County. Wise County has had three today. Cooke County's got a large one burning."

One of the largest fires was in Tarrant County in Kennedale along the city's border with Arlington. Plumes of white smoke rose above the town, flames leapt 40 feet into the air and residents wielded garden hoses to try to save their homes.

"My dad and I were coming home from the store, and we saw this big pillar of smoke coming up," said David Seekins, who along with about 25 other neighbors connected their garden hoses to help fight the fire.

The fire was reported about 2:30 p.m. It raced quickly through a patchwork of rural homes and through subdivisions toward Arlington.

Fire officials said they did not know how the blaze started.

"The smoke has just made the whole place out here just brown," said Kelli McKandless, a pro shop assistant with Tierra Verde Golf Course in Arlington. "We're just watching it like anybody else is."

Patricia Reese was at home in Arlington with five children when she saw flames racing across a field next to the Falcon Lakes apartment complex.

She and other residents fled to a nearby parking lot.

"The smoke was so thick you couldn't do anything," she said. "You couldn't breathe."

Three Arlington firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation, Battalion Chief David Stapp said. No one else was hurt.

The governor's office said 73 fires were burning around the state, mostly in North and Central Texas. One state official said the outbreak was the state's worst in nearly a decade.

Mr. Perry ordered the deployment of the Texas Army National Guard and requested assistance from the U.S. Forest Service.

The Texas Forest Service hired a single-engine air tanker to do bucket drops late Tuesday afternoon, Ms. Weaver said.

Earlier, a National Guard helicopter was dropping water near the LBJ National Grasslands in Decatur. And the U.S. Forest Service flew a surveillance plane to spot fires in Wise County.

It took almost four hours to contain a structure fire in Colleyville on Tuesday, with units from seven nearby cities responding.

Colleyville Fire Chief Mike Johnston said a house was destroyed on a one-acre piece of property but firefighters in 20 units battled the 30 mile-per-hour gusts to keep the blaze from spreading.

"Every neighbor we had helped us out," Chief Johnston said. "This low humidity and high winds made it tough. We were very fortunate that it wasn't much worse."

Fort Worth had 35 grass fires.

"Luckily for us, ours have all been one alarm," Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman Lt. Kent Worley said. "They've been all over – north, south, east and west. For the most part, we've been very busy, extremely busy but lucky in that we've not lost any homes."

Other smaller fires were reported in Farmers Branch in Dallas County, Ponder, Aubrey and Denton in Denton County and multiple locations in Parker, Wise, Hood and Johnson counties.

North Texas was under a National Weather Service "red flag warning," meaning unusually warm and windy conditions could cause blazes to spread rapidly. The warning was issued because of strong winds, low humidity and extremely dry conditions.

The warning was not expected to be in effect today, but fire officials warned that the dry conditions likely will continue for the next 30 days.

Despite the repeated burn warnings, people are still being careless, Ms. Weaver said.

"They think, 'I've burned my trash for years; it won't get away from me,' " she said. "They don't realize how dire the conditions are right now."

A fire Monday night in Boyd in Wise County was started by a resident burning trash. The destroyed area formed a perfect V-pattern pointing to a trash barrel, Ms. Weaver said.

She said drivers should not throw cigarettes out the window. Even activities such as mowing the lawn or using a chain saw to cut down trees can produce sparks that can cause brush to catch fire.

Staff writers Debra Dennis, Laurie Fox, Michael Grabell, Stephanie Sandoval and Jason Trahan contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Destructive fires blaze across North Texas

From WFAA ABC 8 Staff

Governor Rick Perry issued a disaster declaration as more than 70 wildfires blazed around Texas, killing one in Abilene.

Wildfires erupted across North Texas Tuesday afternoon destroying homes as unseasonably high temperatures combined with low humidity and gusty winds to create conditions ripe for fast-moving fires.

Around 3:15 p.m. an ominous haze filled the air at the Arlington-Kennedale border in Tarrant County. By 3:45 p.m. the flames and the danger were more apparent, and by 4:15 p.m. the flames were raging.

Firefighters battled the flames that consumed several single-family homes near the Tierra Verde Golf Club and firefighters were setting up defenses around at least two apartment complexes and a number of residential neighborhoods.

In the Arlington-Kennedale area, firefighters extinguished the flames after hours of battling the blaze, but at least one home was destroyed.

"They quickly just doubled and tripled in size ," said Chief Scott Raven, Kennedale Fire Department. "About 300 acres in total were involved."

Around 200 firefighters from at least a half dozen departments responded to the fires in the area.

"The winds were gusting, I would estimate at about 30 mph at times...and they would kind of change directions on us every couple minutes," Raven said.

Richie Everhart, 14, said he had to fight the fire, get his mother out of his home and drive through flames to escape.

"We went inside to get a drink of water because there was so much smoke, and I looked out the window and it was in our backyard," he said. "It was that quick."

His neighbors, the Reeder family, waited anxiously for hours in hopes their dogs survived the fire and were reunited with their pets early in the night.

"They were in the backyard huddled together on ashes," said Kenneth Reeder.

In the southwest area of Arlington, flames proved tough to eliminate for firefighters and at least a dozen homes were destroyed.

"We had two other fires going on in the city at the same time, so that hampered our ability to make an aggressive attack on this individual fire because fire units from the far north side of town were responding to this incident," said Alan Kassan, Arlington Fire Department.

Neighbors in the area rushed out with hoses to try and help fight the fire, and many used sprinklers to keep propane tanks cool.

A Methodist church and at least 25 homes were destroyed in Cross Plains, a town of about 1,000 people 150 miles southwest of Dallas, where a grass fire spread so ferociously that authorities blocked roads to traffic and firefighters continued to battle the blaze Tuesday night.

Another dangerous fire was reported in the Canyon Creek subdivision in Hood County located southwest of Fort Worth.

"It's just chaos right now," said Hood County Sheriff's Department Lt. Billy Henderson. "We have an entire subdivision on fire."

Henderson said the department was trying to evacuate all Canyon Creek residents. There were no reports of injuries.

The fire was blazing near Highway 287 and was being watched closely because it was blazing in an area surrounded by apartment complexes.

One fire broke out in a downtown high-rise away from grassy areas Tuesday night. The call for the three-alarm fire at 1414 Elm St. came in around 6:00 p.m. About 75 firefighter fought and extinguished the fire in about 45 minutes.

The building was undergoing loft renovations and is scheduled to eventually house 68 lofts. Witnesses said the fire appeared to come from the back of the building and firefighters said they believe it started in the elevator shaft. No people were reported in the building and damage is estimated around $200,000.

Other wildfires were reported in Colleyville, Fort Worth, Farmers Branch, Ponder, Aubrey and Burleson.

"These fires that we've seen are human-caused," said Texas Forestry Service spokeswoman Traci Weaver. "Most of these fires are. Historically in North Texas, about 94 percent of our fires are human-caused."

Weaver said the weather conditions, with winds gusting to 40 mph, made it especially dangerous for firefighters. "It's amazing how fast it spreads in this wind," she said. "When it gets like it is right now, you just can't put a firefighter out in front of that—they'll get burned." "This is tough; this is tough to watch," said American Red Cross spokeswoman Anita Foster, who said the agency was mobilizing relief trucks and personnel to the affected areas. "We're going to make sure that everyone has a roof over their head tonight."

The Red Cross set up these phone numbers for residents who need help: 817-335-9137 in Tarrant County and 214-678-4800 in Dallas County.

All of North Texas remained under a Red Flag fire warning Tuesday.

Outdoor burning bans were in effect for counties throughout the region. The National Weather Service warned that open flames, burning trash, a discarded cigarette—even the heat from a vehicle's exhaust system in tall grass—could spark a fire.

The mercury reached 82 degrees on Tuesday, setting a record for the second consecutive day.

"It just doesn't look like we have any relief in sight," said WFAA-TV (Channel 8) meteorologist Pete Delkus. "We are going to stay very dry. There is no rain in our forecast through the end of this year."

North Texas has had just shy of 19 inches of rain thus far in 2005—that's more than 15 inches less than an average year and more than 28 inches shy of last year's total.

Delkus said 2005 is on pace to be the fifth driest year on record in North Texas, and the driest in about a half-century.

Wildfires burned Monday in Collin and Wise counties. One blaze destroyed three homes and damaged several buildings just north of Eagle Mountain Lake near the town of Newark in Wise County.

Collin County firefighters also stayed busy Monday battling six grass fires, including one in Princeton that left two people injured. A 16-year-old boy suffered minor burns and a 25-year-old woman was taken to a local hospital for smoke inhalation.

Princeton firefighter Jamie Arnold wasn't looking forward to another warm, dry and windy day on Tuesday. "I'm dreading it, to be honest with you," he said. "If we don't get some rain and get these conditions better, it's going to be a nightmare."

WFAA-TV reporters Jim Douglas in Arlington, Gary Reaves in Mansfield and Steve Stoler in Wise County, WFAA.com editor Walt Zwirko in Dallas, the Dallas Morning News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

'The whole city was on fire'

From WFAA ABC 8 Staff

Texas was a tinderbox on Tuesday, as dozens of grass fires cut wide swaths across the region. Two women died and at least three others were missing; at least 70 homes and one church were destroyed.

One fatality occurred in Cooke County near Callisburg, along the border with Oklahoma. Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Traci Weaver said firefighters weren't able to reach the woman, who had apparently fallen and broken her hip.

Five homes were lost in the fire that burned 5,000 acres.

At least three people remained unaccounted for in Cross Plains, a town of about 1,000 people located 150 miles southwest of Dallas. The First United Methodist Church and at least 25 houses were destroyed as 7,800 acres burned on Tuesday.

One woman was found dead in her home, but no other details were available, Assistant Fire Chief Rick Caruth said.

The front wall of the Methodist church still stood, along with parts of a side wall, but the rest of the church burned to the ground. The steeple lay on the ground next to a charred a cross.

"Right now we're still pretty much in shock," said Arlene Stephenson, 64, a member of the church for more than 20 years.

Rancher Dean Dillard, a former city councilman, said he was able to soak the land around his 72-year-old mother's home and save it, but as many as 10 nearby homes were destroyed. He said his own home and those surrounding it on the south side of town were untouched by the fire.

Dillard sent his family out of town as the fire approached. He said just about everyone he knew spent Tuesday fighting fires, either their own or their neighbors.

"It looked like we had been bombed in a big war, the whole city was on fire," he said.

Four firefighters in Hood County were hospitalized after trying to keep the flames away from residential areas. A flareup early Wednesday in the Canyon Creek area burned down one house and placed a continuing strain on the county's nine volunteer fire departments.

Officials said dozens of homes in the same subdivision burned on Tuesday.

Children playing with fireworks apparently triggered fires Tuesday in Granbury and Kennedale, near Fort Worth. The Granbury fire spread to three neighborhoods, destroying at least 20 homes.

"If we have a situation where we are able to prove that someone intentionally started this, we will probably prosecute them to the full extent of the law," said Kennedale Mayor Jim Norwood, who said the fire and police departments were starting an investigation.

In Kennedale, residents used garden hoses and buckets of water to try and save their homes as stretched-thin firefighters tried to extinguish flames on other houses and buildings. Winds help spread the fire across about 100 acres. The blaze jumped U.S. Highway 287 and prompted authorities to temporarily shut it down and evacuate two apartment buildings as a precaution.

Three firefighters were hospitalized with smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion while assisting with the Kennedale fire, Arlington Battalion Chief David Stapp said.

"It looked like the world was on fire," Stapp said. "For the first 30 minutes or so, we were driving around trying to get a grip on what the most threatening areas were. There were flames 30 to 40 feet high, just a wall of flames."

Firefighting crews were watching for hot spots with lingering dry conditions, but National Weather Service forecasters said windy conditions should ease by later Wednesday.

Authorities said at least 12 firefighters suffered heat exhaustion or smoke inhalation on Tuesday dealing with blazes during an early winter day that was warmer than any Dec. 27 on record.

Gov. Rick Perry issued a disaster declaration, deployed state firefighters, and ordered use of Texas Army National Guard assets.

Perry also requested assistance from the U.S. Forest Service.

One Texas official said it was the state's worst fire outbreak in nearly a decade.

The National Weather Service said much of North Texas is now facing "exceptional" drought conditions.

"As far as designations are concerned, it doesn't get any worse than the exceptional one," said WFAA-TV (Channel 8) meteorologist Steve McCauley. "It hasn't been this bad since 1956."

McCauley said rain chances in the region were nil through the end 2005, and temperatures could hit 80 degrees again on New Year's Day. The rain gauge at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the official reporting station, is nearly 16 inches below normal for 2005. It's even worse in Denton, which faces a 22 inch shortfall.

"There is a very small glimmer of hope," McCauley said: Projections indicate that some significant rainfall could be headed to North Texas for the second weekend of the new year.

WFAA-TV, WFAA.com, The Dallas Morning News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Texas fires leave four dead

From WFAA ABC 8 Staff

Grass fires which swept across Texas have left four people dead and three people missing, and destroyed at least 78 homes, officials said.

One fatality occurred in Cooke County near Callisburg, along the border with Oklahoma. Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Traci Weaver said firefighters weren't able to reach the woman, who apparently fell and broke her hip while trying to wet down her yard. Eight homes were lost.

At least three people remained unaccounted for in Cross Plains, a town of about 1,000 people located 150 miles southwest of Dallas. The First United Methodist Church and as many as 50 homes were destroyed as 7,800 acres burned on Tuesday.

One woman was found dead in her home, but no other details were available, Assistant Fire Chief Rick Caruth said.

The front wall of the Methodist church still stood, along with parts of a side wall, but the rest of the church burned to the ground. The steeple lay on the ground next to a charred a cross.

"Right now we're still pretty much in shock," said Arlene Stephenson, 64, a member of the church for more than 20 years.

Rancher Dean Dillard, a former city councilman, said he was able to soak the land around his 72-year-old mother's home and save it, but as many as 10 nearby homes were destroyed. He said his own home and those surrounding it on the south side of town were untouched by the fire.

Dillard sent his family out of town as the fire approached. He said just about everyone he knew spent Tuesday fighting fires, either their own or their neighbors.

"It looked like we had been bombed in a big war, the whole city was on fire," he said.

In Arlington, the Liebrock brothers returned to the remains of their mother's home which was destroyed on Tuesday.

"We found a bunch of burnt jewelry," said David Liebrock.

"She'd only just paid the house off and now it's gone up in smoke," said Robert Liebrock.

Four firefighters in Hood County were hospitalized after trying to keep the flames away from residential areas. A flareup early Wednesday in the Canyon Creek area burned down one house and placed a continuing strain on the county's nine volunteer fire departments.

Officials said dozens of homes in the same subdivision burned on Tuesday.

Children playing with fireworks apparently triggered fires Tuesday in Granbury and Kennedale, near Fort Worth. One online firework retailer has said it will not sell fireworks to residents in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The Granbury fire spread to three neighborhoods, destroying at least 20 homes.

"If we have a situation where we are able to prove that someone intentionally started this, we will probably prosecute them to the full extent of the law," said Kennedale Mayor Jim Norwood, who said the fire and police departments were starting an investigation.

In Kennedale, residents used garden hoses and buckets of water to try and save their homes as stretched-thin firefighters tried to extinguish flames on other houses and buildings. Winds help spread the fire across about 100 acres. The blaze jumped U.S. Highway 287 and prompted authorities to temporarily shut it down and evacuate two apartment buildings as a precaution.

Three firefighters were hospitalized with smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion while assisting with the Kennedale fire, Arlington Battalion Chief David Stapp said.

"It looked like the world was on fire," Stapp said. "For the first 30 minutes or so, we were driving around trying to get a grip on what the most threatening areas were. There were flames 30 to 40 feet high, just a wall of flames."

Firefighting crews were watching for hot spots with lingering dry conditions, but National Weather Service forecasters said windy conditions should ease by later Wednesday.

Authorities said at least 12 firefighters suffered heat exhaustion or smoke inhalation on Tuesday dealing with blazes during an early winter day that was warmer than any Dec. 27 on record.

Firefighters had to make tough decisions to let some buildings burn, while they saved others.

Gov. Rick Perry issued a disaster declaration, deployed state firefighters, and ordered use of Texas Army National Guard assets.

Perry also requested assistance from the U.S. Forest Service.

One Texas official said it was the state's worst fire outbreak in nearly a decade.

The National Weather Service said much of North Texas is now facing "exceptional" drought conditions.

"As far as designations are concerned, it doesn't get any worse than the exceptional one," said WFAA-TV (Channel 8) meteorologist Steve McCauley. "It hasn't been this bad since 1956."

McCauley said rain chances in the region were nil through the end 2005, and temperatures could hit 80 degrees again on New Year's Day. The rain gauge at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the official reporting station, is nearly 16 inches below normal for 2005. It's even worse in Denton, which faces a 22 inch shortfall.

"There is a very small glimmer of hope," McCauley said: Projections indicate that some significant rainfall could be headed to North Texas for the second weekend of the new year.

Outdoor burn bans are in effect for 156 Texas counties, including all in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

WFAA-TV, WFAA.com, The Dallas Morning News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Extreme conditions causing havoc

By KIMBERLY DURNAN / DallasNews.com

As firefighters continued to battle isolated grass fires around North Texas on Wednesday, residents began assessing the damage to their homes and property caused by the blazes that raged a day earlier.

Tuesday's wind-driven fires were blamed for four deaths, according to the Texas Division of Emergency Management. In addition, at least three people were unaccounted for in Cross Plains, a small town in Callahan County decimated by fire.

Traci Weaver, spokeswoman for the Texas Forest Service, called this winter fire season the state's worst. The benchmark was set in 1996, when 141 structures burned in Parker County.

"We are really concerned with fireworks for New Year's Eve," she said. "These are really extreme conditions. Texas isn't used to it and people need to be very careful."

Firefighters apparently gained the upper hand against the fires that destroyed more than a dozen structures in Tarrant County, charred hundreds of acres and prompted Gov. Rick Perry to declare a state of disaster.

Still, Gainesville firefighters were continuing Wednesday to contain a 10,000-acre blaze that broke out Tuesday afternoon in the northeast corner of Cooke County near the Red River.

"It's rugged country with lots of hills and rocks," Ms. Weaver said. "It's hard to get equipment back there."

One woman, whose name was not immediately released, died and several structures were lost. Firefighters planned to begin searching through the buildings to ensure that everyone escaped and tally the damage, Gainesville fire Battalion Chief Randy Roye said.

A blaze that had spread through 7,600 acres in Callahan County in north-central Texas was about 50 percent contained Wednesday morning. The county issued a mandatory evacuation of about 600 people and it was believed that 50 to 60 homes had been destroyed, Ms. Weaver said.

Firefighters also had about 50 percent containment of a fire on 2,000 acres in Eastland County, where six structures were threatened, Ms. Weaver said.

The low humidity mixed with high winds and dry conditions created toxic conditions for fires to ignite and expand, she said.

Children playing with fireworks started the fire in Hood County. Power lines blowing into each other sparked the Cooke County fire, she said.

In Kennedale, firefighters were working to extinguish a fire that started Tuesday afternoon and had consumed at least three houses, five barns and some storage buildings, Fire Chief Scott Raven said.

"The residents were very helpful wetting down grass and fences and helping the firefighters pull the hoses," he said. "They brought us food and drinks and really helped us."

On Wednesday, the full impact of the fires that had fanned across this town of 6,100 residents drew onlookers and television news crews.

Three homes on Joplin Road were lost, possibly, officials said, to a fire begun by children playing with fireworks. Five other homes in other parts of the city sustained significant damage, 600 acres were destroyed and 18 structures such as barns and sheds were lost, Kennedale City Manager David Miller said.

City officials toured the damage while fire investigators looked for a cause.

Neighbors stood vigil with water hoses in hands, helping firefighters douse hot spots.

“No one wants to call themselves heroes, but they are,” said Vanessa Floyd, whose neighbors saved her home using water hoses. She and her husband, Gerald, were fishing in Bonham when they learned about the fires.

“We turned on the TV and saw our neighbor’s house,” Mrs. Floyd said. “If our house had gone up, we would have had a change of clothes and a boat. It would have been a big loss. We are lucky.”

Doug Parker, who lives on Joplin Road, returned to blackened trees and a heap of scorched furniture atop his foundation.

His home was destroyed. A prized Mustang that he was restoring was severely damaged. “We’ll just have to start over,” Mr. Parker said.

During a tour of Joplin Road, Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck credited firefighters from several communities with helping to contain the fires.

“We’re all here together,” Mayor Cluck said. “It’s been a community-wide effort with all of the cities coming together and we’re going to continue like this."

In Arlington, fire officials estimate that 130 acres were scorched. Six mobile homes and 20 sheds and vehicles were burned in a fire in the 5000 block of Mitchell Parkway in southeast Arlington near State Highway 360.

Mayor Cluck said he plans to ask Gov. Perry for a statewide ban on fireworks. Most cities and some counties prohibit the use of fireworks, but the pyrotechnics are being sold in unincorporated areas across Texas through New Year's Day.

The Governor's Division of Emergency Management has asked for firefighters and equipment from departments in Wisconsin, Tennessee, Florida and Alabama. The state also plans to use military aircraft and equipment, including eight helicopters and two huge sky cranes that pump water, to douse the blazes.

"At the end of the day we will have a robust capability," Weaver said.

In Cross Plains, a town of about 1,000 people east of Abilene, residents were coming to terms with the loss of some 7,800 acres, a historic church and at least 25 homes. One woman was found dead in her home, but no other details were available, Assistant Fire Chief Rick Caruth said.

Twenty homes were lost in a fire in the Hood County subdivision of Canyon Creek, located near Granbury. Twelve firefighters suffered smoke inhalation fighting the 30-acre blaze, which was punctuated by exploding propane tanks.

On Wednesday, Parker County Judge Mark Riley issued a disaster declaration for his county and an executive order restricting the use of all combustibles, including all fireworks, effective immediately. The state of disaster could continue for up to seven days.

“We are in an extremely dangerous time,” he said. “I am confident the citizens of Parker County and vendors of fireworks will comply with these orders so everyone will have a safe and happy New Year.”

Eric Martello, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said winds would be about 15 mph on Wednesday afternoon and temperatures would be in the high 60s and lower 70s. The conditions do not meet the requirements for a red flag warning, which alerts residents about the possibility of fires and firefighters that such fires can spread rapidly and unpredictably.

But the weather service does have a rangeland grass fire danger statement in effect, essentially conveying the same message, he said.

"The next real red flag potential day that we've got on the models is looking to be on Sunday, New Year's Day," Mr. Martello said.

At least 157 Texas counties have a burn ban in place, according to the Texas Forest Service.

The American Red Cross dispatched workers to Johnson, Parker, Tarrant and Wise counties Wednesday to assess damage and reach out to displaced families, spokeswoman Anita Foster said.

"Because of the widespread nature of the fires, we just want to ensure we haven't missed any families who need assistance and let them know how to contact us," she said.

The fires capped an already unprecedented year for home fires, she said.

"This adds to an already destructive fire season," she said. "Prior to yesterday, the Dallas/Fort Worth area had already counted 170 families who had lost their homes to fire since Thanksgiving Day."

The Red Cross has opened a service center in Hood County to aid displaced families with food and shelter, Ms. Foster said. Ms. Foster said that while it's understandable that people would want to protect their homes, they should worry about their safety first.

"Simple things ignite fires with these high winds," she said. "They are very fast-moving and people have to get out of the way. If something should happen to their home, the Red Cross will be there and we will do everything we can to help."

DallasNews.com staff writer Linda Leavell, Dallas Morning News staff writer Debra Dennis, WFAA ABC 8 and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Could a mutual agreement have saved homes?

By BRETT SHIPP / WFAA ABC 8

KENNEDALE, Texas - Questions have begun to arise concerning mutual aid agreements among local fire departments after fires in Kennedale destroyed several homes Tuesday.

The wind-driven fires proved destructive throughout Texas leaving four people dead and three people missing, and burning at least 13,000 acres.

However in the town of Kennedale, some said they believe much of their loss could have been prevented. Residents and neighbors expressed anger as the said they saw Fort Worth firefighters Tuesday doing little to help the neighboring town of Kennedale that was in desperate need of assistance.

"It was scary, that's for sure," said Scott Carruthers, a Kennedale homeowner.

Carruthers said he credits the neighboring Arlington Fire Department with saving his home from burning to the ground as wildfire scorched 600 acres around him.

"We probably had 33 pieces of equipment out here plus Arlington," said Scott Raven, Kennedale fire chief. "They had a large amount of their department out here."

Chief Raven said he got critical help from nearly a dozen fire departments from all over the county, including some on the other side of Fort Worth.

However, the Fort Worth Fire Department was noticeably absent because they are prohibited by city officials from responding.

"I definitely would have called Fort Worth for assistance," Chief Raven said. "They've got an extremely large department, the largest in Tarrant County, and they have the resources available and that would have been beneficial for us to directly tap into..."

Carruthers, who nearly lost his house, said he's shocked to learn the damage might have been minimized with additional help.

"That's unbelievable, I didn't know that," he said.

The reason Fort Worth City officials said they did not respond to help the neighboring area was because they said Kennedale will not enter into a mutual aid agreement with them.

Officials declined an on camera interview, but issued a statement that said, "The city of Fort Worth has eleven mutual aid agreements and two contracts involving 14 neighboring jurisdictions."

It also read, "We are willing to talk to any of our neighboring cities about a mutual aid agreement so long as the terms protect our firefighters, their families, the property and equipment of the Fort Worth Fire Department."

The city's stance was believed to have evolved after a 1999 tragedy in which off-duty Fort Worth firefighters were killed fighting a church fire in neighboring Lake Worth.

Chief Raven said he understands those concerns, but believes when a whole town is threatened only one rule should apply.

"You've got to be able to tap in to assist each other," he said. "And that's what it's all about, is working together."

Technically, the Fort Worth Fire Department sent seven units in the Kennedale area. However, the only reason they came in was because the City of Arlington, who have a mutual aid agreement with Fort Worth, decided to take on the liability and call on behalf of Kennedale.

[TexasStooge]

Daylight brings impact of fires into focus

3 killed, 124 homes lost or damaged statewide; weekend winds expected to blow in more trouble

By JAY PARSONS, DAVE MICHAELS and SCOTT FARWELL / The Dallas Morning News

Elena Morrison, a well-liked clerk at Wal-Mart in Gainesville, Texas, was burned to death when a wildfire swept through the Walnut Bend community near the Red River.

"Everybody knew this lady and liked her," said Cooke County Justice of the Peace Dorthy Lewis.

Mrs. Morrison, 63, died when the fire changed directions and swept over her. Her body was found near charred Christmas decorations in her yard.

"I heard her holler, but it didn't seem like she was in trouble," said her husband, Vernon Morrison. "After I finished what I was doing, I looked for her and hollered and hollered but didn't see her. The smoke cleared, and she was down. She didn't have a hose or anything. I don't know what she was doing, to be honest. It all happened in three minutes."

Mrs. Morrison's death Tuesday afternoon was one of the many tragedies brought on this week by the combination of dry vegetation, stiff winds and errant sparks.

Two other people died Tuesday when fires moved through Cross Plains, a community of about 1,000 people roughly 50 miles southeast of Abilene.

Jack Colley, emergency management chief at the Texas Department of Public Safety, said Wednesday was a better day than Tuesday because winds died down and made the fires easier to fight.

The number of active fires dropped to five, Mr. Colley said. Statewide, 124 homes have been destroyed or suffered major damage, he said.

Officials are predicting more trouble as New Year's Day approaches. High winds are predicted to return Friday and Saturday.

"The high winds are really the factor that takes these small fires and makes them into wildfires very quickly," Mr. Colley said.

To prevent that from happening, Gov. Rick Perry has ordered the deployment of more firefighting assets, including National Guard helicopters, two multiengine air tankers and two Skycrane helicopters, the largest helicopters used to fight fires. Today, the state anticipates receiving two Black Hawk helicopters from Louisiana.

"The governor has directed us to bring all capacity into the state, and that is what we're doing," Mr. Colley said.

In Cross Plains, people were stunned by the devastation – two dead and 81 homes destroyed along with the First United Methodist Church.

"It is unbelievable," said Callahan County Justice of the Peace James Jones. "We have never seen anything like this, anywhere."

Judge Jones identified one of the victims as Mattie Faye Wilson, a retired schoolteacher in her early 60s. She was found dead in her burned-out home on a street where eight or 10 other buildings were destroyed.

Judge Jones identified the other woman only by her last name, Shephard. She was in her early 80s, he said. Firefighters found her body on Tuesday night.

The number of burned homes accounts for about 20 percent of the community's structures, Judge Jones said.

"The [people] I have talked to are just shocked and stunned," he said.

Judge Jones said the fire in Cross Plains was "pretty well controlled" by Wednesday morning. Firefighters are still battling hot spots, but the fire has ceased jumping between homes.

The fire missed his own house by a quarter-mile, he said.

"I was standing down there with 5-gallon buckets and water off the fish pond," he said.

One house after another

Four miles outside Granbury in Hood County, fire officials say a teenage boy playing with a lighter caught the grass in front of his home on fire Tuesday afternoon. Flames whipped through the tinder, flying onto the house and into the trees.

"It blew to the next house to the next house to the next house," said Hood County Fire Marshall Roger Deeds, describing the simple conspiracy between wind, dry grass and flames. "The wind just pushed that fire faster than we could catch up with it."

In all, 250 acres were scorched in a swath through three modest subdivisions. Twenty-one homes were destroyed, five were heavily damaged and scores of vehicles were burned to their metal frames.

Eight firefighters were injured. One was airlifted to a Fort Worth hospital, where he was treated and released.

Crews continued to water down charred debris on Wednesday afternoon.

Alice Hicks stood with her arms crossed, shivering in a light wind, as she stared at the blackened rib cage of the four-bedroom double-wide where she has lived the last 19 years.

She raised her son here, under a grove of post oak trees, and Tuesday afternoon, when the fires erupted, she was baby-sitting her 7-month-old grandson. A neighbor knocked on her back door.

"I looked out the window, and I could see the fire. Smoke was everywhere," she said. "I knew the way that wind was blowing, we didn't have long."

Ms. Hicks snatched up the child and her purse before bolting out the back gate. That's all she had left Tuesday when she returned.

"I had it all paid for," she said. "That made me feel good. I was proud to have something to call my own."

She had been fixing up the place. This summer she repaired the plywood floors and put down blue carpeting. Out back, in a shed that no longer remains, she had a new vanity and mirror that were still in the box.

Tears leaked down her cheeks at the thought of photo albums that can never be replaced – pictures of her deceased mother and father; her son on his bicycle in the yard; birthday parties.

"You can't just take another picture," she said.

Less than a mile down the road, Dele Obazenu, 54, stood in his master bedroom and looked into an 8-foot hole burned through the roof. Fire came in under the eaves and burned through a section of his attic before firefighters put it out.

Mr. Obazenu says he's lucky. His neighbors on three sides lost everything.

"Firefighters came to my door and told me I had five minutes to get out ... the fire was out of control," he said. "I thought, 'My whole life is in there and my home business.' I grabbed my three dogs and my laptop, and I left."

Fireworks a worry

Traci Weaver, spokeswoman for the Texas Forest Service, called this winter fire season the state's worst since February 1996, when 141 structures burned in Parker County.

"We are really concerned with fireworks for New Year's Eve," she said. "These are really extreme conditions. Texas isn't used to it, and people need to be very careful."

By Wednesday, firefighters had gained the upper hand against fires that destroyed more than a dozen structures in Tarrant County, charred hundreds of acres and prompted Mr. Perry to declare a state of disaster.

In Kennedale, fire consumed at least three houses, five barns and some storage buildings, Fire Chief Scott Raven said.

"The residents were very helpful wetting down grass and fences and helping the firefighters pull the hoses," he said. "They brought us food and drinks and really helped us."

On Wednesday, daylight illuminated the full impact of the fires that had fanned across this town of 6,100 residents. The views drew onlookers and television news crews.

Three homes on Joplin Road were lost. Five homes in other parts of the city sustained significant damage. In all, 600 acres were destroyed, and 18 structures such as barns and sheds were lost, Kennedale City Manager David Miller said.

Neighbors stood guard with water hoses in hand, helping firefighters douse hot spots.

"No one wants to call themselves heroes, but they are," said Vanessa Floyd, whose neighbors saved her home using water hoses. She and her husband, Gerald, were fishing in Bonham when they learned about the fires.

"We turned on the TV and saw our neighbor's house," Mrs. Floyd said. "If our house had gone up, we would have had a change of clothes and a boat. It would have been a big loss. We are lucky."

Doug Parker, who lives on Joplin Road, returned to blackened trees and a heap of scorched furniture atop his foundation. A prized Mustang that he was restoring was severely damaged.

"We'll just have to start over," Mr. Parker said.

During a tour of Joplin Road, Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck credited firefighters from several communities with helping to contain the fires.

"We're all here together ... and we're going to continue like this," Mr. Cluck said.

Weather no friend

Eric Martello, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said Texans need to remain on guard.

"The next real red flag potential day that we've got on the models is looking to be on Sunday, New Year's Day," Mr. Martello said.

At least 157 Texas counties have a burn ban in place, according to the Texas Forest Service.

This year's rainfall in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is about 16 inches less than the average of 35 inches. No rain is forecast for the next several days.

Jay Parsons reported from Walnut Bend, Dave Michaels was in Austin, and Scott Farwell was in Hood County. Staff writers Scott Parks, Debra Dennis, Kimberly Durnan and Linda Leavell contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Authorities act to prevent future fires

By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA ABC 8

Fire marshals from several counties met on Thursday to discuss how to prevent further brush fires in North Texas.

Authorities are calling on North Texans not to use fireworks this New Year's Eve.

Some 17 counties in North Texas now have burn bans in place. Those ignoring the ban may face a $500 fine.

They're trying to put an end to brush fires that have swept the region this week, killing three people and destroying dozens of homes.

Fire officials say they are out of resources and that their crews are exhausted.

They say the recent fires were caused by cigarettes or fireworks.

"We still had people discharging fireworks over the firemen," said Paul Cunningham from Wise County.

All is calm around North Texas as the state's wildfires appear to be under control.

More than 70 fires swept across parts of drought-stricken region since Tuesday.

Nearly 100 buildings were destroyed and more than 13,000 acres burned in 20 counties.

Governor Rick Perry will today tour the small town of Cross Plains, in Callahan County, which was one of the hardest hit areas.

Two people died in the fires there. Both were elderly women trapped in their homes.

One victim, Maudie Lee Shephard, was a resident of Cross Plains for 26 years and she would have been 90-years-old next month.

About 50 houses and a church were also destroyed in this small town of 1,000 residents.

The first charges in connection with the North Texas fires could be filed soon.

In Wise County, authorities are rounding up as many as five juveniles who were shooting off fireworks in Boyd; those fireworks may have touched off a grass fire.

Firefighters there also reported that the juveniles shooting fireworks also tried to hit a passerby who was trying to put out the fires.

A DeSoto church that sells fireworks to raise funds says it'll skip selling the materials this year.

Church officials got into the legal fireworks business more than 15 years ago to raise money for its youth programs.

Meanwhile, it remains illegal to possess fireworks within the city of Dallas. It's a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a $2,000 fine.

[TexasStooge]

Call for Texans to give up New Year fireworks

By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA ABC 8

Authorities are calling on Texans to forego fireworks celebrations this New Year, following brush fires in the state which killed three people.

“It is paramount that we all do what is necessary to prevent wildfires right now. This weekend will be especially dangerous as many celebrate the New Year with fireworks,” said State Fire Marshal Paul Maldonado in a statement.

"The extremely dry conditions are going to continue well beyond this holiday period. Any outdoor activity that can produce sparks or flames could potentially lead to a wildfire that will be difficult to control, threatening life and property," he added.

More than 70 fires have swept across parts of drought-stricken region since Tuesday.

Nearly 100 buildings were destroyed, as more than 13,000 acres burned in 20 counties.

Fires broke out again on Thursday afternoon in Wise County.

The most serious was in the New Fairview area where firefighters from throughout the county were asked to send grass-fire fighting trucks.

The New Year's Eve forecast calls for no rain and dry, windy conditions.

At least 156 Texas counties issued fire bans after blazes.

The Texas Pyrotechnic Association today issued a voluntary ban against the sale of stick rockets and missiles.

Those tend to travel farther and are more difficult to control than other types of fireworks.

Officials also say residents should also refrain from welding, trash burning and driving vehicles on dry grass. Those ignoring the ban face a $500 fine.

Fire officials say they are out of resources and that their crews are exhausted.

Texas is getting help battling wildfires from the Louisiana National Guard.

The guard today sent three U-H Sixty Blackhawk helicopters rigged with firefighting water buckets.

Fire department officials say the recent fires were caused by cigarettes or fireworks.

"We still had people discharging fireworks over the firemen," said Paul Cunningham from Wise County.

Governor Rick Perry will today tour the small town of Cross Plains, in Callahan County, which was one of the hardest hit areas.

Two people died in the fires there. Both were elderly women trapped in their homes.

One victim, Maudie Lee Shephard, was a resident of Cross Plains for 26 years and she would have been 90-years-old next month.

About 50 houses and a church were also destroyed in this small town of 1,000 residents.

The first charges in connection with the North Texas fires could be filed soon.

In Wise County, authorities are rounding up as many as five juveniles who were shooting off fireworks in Boyd; those fireworks may have touched off a grass fire.

Firefighters there also reported that the juveniles shooting fireworks also tried to hit a passerby who was trying to put out the fires.

A DeSoto church that sells fireworks to raise funds says it'll skip selling the materials this year.

Church officials got into the legal fireworks business more than 15 years ago to raise money for its youth programs.

Meanwhile, it remains illegal to possess fireworks within the city of Dallas. It's a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a $2,000 fine.

Associated Press contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Texas applies for federal aid

By SCOTT FARWELL / The Dallas Morning News

Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday that the state has applied for a federal declaration of disaster through the Federal Emergency Management Agency following devastating fires that have spread in recent days.

The declaration would trigger a flow of federal money to aid the relief effort in areas hit the hardest, but it must be approved by President Bush. Perry expressed confidence that Bush would sign the declaration.

"We're used to drought in Texas," Perry said. "We've had 3 years of substantial rainfall so there is substantion fuel in the field. But that fuel is tinderbox dry."

With no rain in the forecast and dry, windy conditions expected, fire officials want residents to think twice about shooting off fireworks to celebrate New Year's Eve.

"Authorities are worried," said Texas Forestry Service spokesman Ron Perry. "Our fire conditions, as far as the grasses and the brush, in all of Texas except for the coast are in extreme fire danger."

The state emergency operations center instituted its highest level of preparedness Thursday morning, and officials called upon other states for personnel and firefighting equipment. At least 156 Texas counties issued fire bans after blazes earlier in the week destroyed 100 buildings across the state and killed three people.

National Weather Service meteorologist Alan Moller said conditions were expected to remain dry and windy throughout the weekend with low humidity, especially on Sunday, when a "major storm system" was expected to bring gusts of up to 30 miles per hour in North and Central Texas.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Tarrant County declared a disaster area

By DEBRA DENNIS / The Dallas Morning News

FORT WORTH, Texas - Tarrant County Judge Tom Vandergriff on Thursday declared the county a local disaster area after officials determined that extraordinary measures needed to be taken to protect residents and property from possible fires.

The declaration activates the Fort Worth-Tarrant County Emergency Plan, which allows the county to seek help from the state, including extra firefighting equipment and funding. The Texas Forest Service has already supplied helicopters and bulldozers to the effort.

Earlier this month, Tarrant County officials banned the sale and use of restricted fireworks. Restricted fireworks are those that are built on a stick and shoot into the air once ignited. Violators could be fined up to $500.

[TexasStooge]

Texans face New Year firework ban

By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8

Fire officials are asking North Texans not to use fireworks to ring in the New Year, as extremely dry conditions were predicted to continue well beyond the holiday period.

Those ignoring the ban face a $500 fine.

Fires flared up across North Texas again on Thursday - along the Mesquite-Balch Springs border and in Wise County, between Decatur and Rhome, near the 287.

The Wise Country fire was allegedly caused by someone shooting off fireworks and an arrest was made.

Three people have died so far in this week's blazes.

“It is paramount that we all do what is necessary to prevent wildfires right now. This weekend will be especially dangerous as many celebrate the New Year with fireworks,” said State Fire Marshal Paul Maldonado in a statement.

"The extremely dry conditions are going to continue well beyond this holiday period. Any outdoor activity that can produce sparks or flames could potentially lead to a wildfire that will be difficult to control, threatening life and property," he added.

More than 70 fires have swept across parts of drought-stricken region since Tuesday.

Nearly 100 buildings were destroyed, as more than 13,000 acres burned in 20 counties.

The New Year's Eve forecast is for no rain and dry, windy conditions.

At least 156 Texas counties issued fire bans after the blazes.

Officials also say residents should also refrain from welding, trash burning and driving vehicles on dry grass.

Fire officials say they are out of resources and that their crews are exhausted.

Texas is getting help battling wildfires from the Louisiana National Guard.

[TexasStooge]

Combustibles banned across North Texas

By BRAD WATSON / WFAA ABC 8

County officials across North Texas have issued bans on the use of all combustible material in an attempt to stem fires which have swept across the region this week.

Combustibles include fireworks, sparklers, gunpowder, sulfur materials, discarded tobacco products still burning and camp fires.

Three people have died so far in this week's blazes.

On Friday, a grass fire broke out in the 9300 block of Shady Trail in Little Elm.

A mobile home was destroyed, as flames engulfed the grass nearby.

At least 156 Texas counties issued fire bans after the fires.

Those defying the bans face fines and even jail time.

Several counties have declared their own 'disasters.'

But the city of Colleyville is offering rebates on water usage fees this weekend.

They're encouraging a daily 15-minute dowsing of yards and landscaping -- so it's not so dry and prone to catch fire.

Applications for rebates must be submitted to the city of its website by February 1st.

[TexasStooge]

County fire bans - list of restrictions

These are the fire bans in place, as of 3:35 p.m. Friday. Bans may be extended.

Collin County

No fireworks

Ban on burning all combustible materials, including welding

Dallas County

No fireworks

Ban on burning all combustible materials including welding

Denton County

No fireworks

Ban on burning all combustible materials including welding

Ellis County

No fireworks

Any activity in an outdoor area that "dispenses, emits, explodes, throws off or otherwise delivers any spark or fire"

Franklin County

No fireworks

Ban on burning all combustible materials

Grayson County

No fireworks

Burn Ban

Henderson County

No fireworks

Ban on burning all combustible materials including welding

Hill County

No fireworks

Ban on burning all combustible materials, including welding

Hood County

No fireworks

Ban on burning all combustible materials including welding

Hunt County

No fireworks

Ban on burning all combustible materials

Johnson County

No fireworks

Ban on burning all combustible materials

Kaufman County

No fireworks

Burn Ban

Parker County

No fireworks

Ban on burning all combustible materials

Rockwall County

No fireworks

Burn Ban on open flame which includes woodburning grills

Tarrant County

No fireworks

Ban on burning all combustible materials including welding

Van Zandt County

No fireworks

Ban on burning all combustible materials, campfires,all tobacco products which are discarded still burning

Wise County

No fireworks

Ban on burning all combustible materials including welding

Source: WFAA ABC 8

[TexasStooge]

Bracing for 'the perfect firestorm'

By CAROL CAVAZOS / WFAA ABC 8

GRANBURY, Texas — North Texas firefighters are facing the worst possible scenario for wildfires this weekend.

Some might call it the perfect firestorm.

To prepare, the Texas Forest Service has mustered firefighting teams from 22 states and the District of Columbia to stand by for any eventuality.

The agency has 15 aircraft—helicopters and planes—ready to attack fires from the skies, but gusty winds forecast for Sunday could keep them grounded.

"Tomorrow is a scary day for us," admitted Texas Forest Service specialist P.J. Pearson after seeing predictions that Sunday's gusts could double the 15-to-20 mph winds in the area on Saturday.

"We're not going to fly if it's 40 or greater, because the planes will literally come out of the sky," Pearson said.

But the agency also plans a ground assault—with earth movers and other equipment designed to keep fast-spreading fires in check.

Firefighting agencies Texas and around the country gathered Saturday at a Texas Forest Service command center in Granbury to take on the state's New Year's Day wildfire scenario.

"They're here now because conditions are unprecedented in Texas," said forest service spokeswoman Traci Weaver.

Sunday has all the ingredients for "the perfect firestorm":

• High winds
• Dry vegetation
• Outdoor activities
• Fireworks

The New Year's holiday weekend traditionally includes fireworks, but 90 Texas counties—including all of North Texas—have banned the use of outdoor fireworks because of the danger.

Robert Weber was purchasing fireworks at a rural stand on Saturday. But he was willing to keep fuses unlit this weekend. "I guess I'll save it until rains come and play with them then," he said.

The Texas Forest Service is monitoring 220,000 square miles of dry brush, with the goal of responding to any fire within 20 minutes.

"We're just prepared," Weaver said. "We're prepared for the worst.

[TexasStooge]

Police on patrol for fireworks violators

By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8

With very dry conditions and a statewide burn ban in force, New Year's Eve is a night firefighters and police have been dreading. Fireworks and guns being fired into the air could easily spark a blaze.

After a week of fires caused by very dry weather, police said Saturday night it appears the public is getting the message about avoiding the use of fireworks.

News 8 rode with Dallas County Sheriff's Department deputies patrolling an area that's usually a haven for fireworks violators. But on Saturday night, only a few were found using the incendiary devices.

Because the threat of fire is so high, police said they were determined to avoid a repeat of previous years, where gunfire and fireworks rattled North Texas.

"I think the warnings that the officials have put out and the news has really helped," said Deputy R. McCann. "They are adhering to the warnings."

In a 20 minute stretch between 11:50 p.m. Saturday and 12:10 a.m. Sunday, the Dallas County 911/311 center was bracing to be swamped. Extra operators were on duty to handle an expected 1,600 calls during that 20-minute stretch—easily the dispatch office's busiest time of the year.

"We're going to be taxed to the maximum capability," said Dallas Fire-Rescue Assistant Chief Roland Gamez.

The city appealed for the public's help. If you get a recording during a call to 911, don't hang up—wait. Hanging up means an operator must call you back.

Always be specific about the address where there may be a crime, and give the dispatcher as much information as possible.

"Please dial 911 if you have an emergency, but be prudent in your thought process about what information you have for emergency responders," Gamez said.

[canegrl04]

New fires in Texas and Oklahoma today. A big fire this afternoon in Mineral Wells ,Texas,just west of Ft. Worth . The temperature today in Dallas set a new record for the date.As expected,the drought,winds and very low humidity created another high fire danger

[TexasStooge]

Large wildfires singe North Texas

From WFAA ABC 8 Staff

The danger of unwelcome wildfires increased as North Texans welcomed the new year.

At one point Sunday afternoon, as many as 15 wildfires raged across the state today, nine of them in North Texas. One of the biggest was in Eastland County, west of Palo Pinto County.

Thick white smoke stretched across the skies and could be seen for miles. The flames spread quickly, but never threatened any homes.

As firefighters and other emergency workers descended on Eastland County, we found ranchers herding cows to safety near the small town of Romney.

Many neighbors could only watch in shock. "They'll be lucky if they can get it put out for a while, because it's spread out too far," said cattle rancher M.L. Collins.

There was no word on what sparked the fires in Eastland County, but every county in North Texas remained under a burn ban. The region was also under a Red Flag Warning until 7 p.m. Sunday issued by the National Weather Service. The red flag signals a very high fire danger due to dry and windy conditions.

In White Settlement, flames threatened a complex of apartments and nearby homes. Fire marshals said a transformer might have sparked the blaze, which quickly traveled up a hill toward the residential area.

Fire officials said residents did not need to worry about the fire reigniting anywhere, because it already burned all the fuel it had access to.

WFAA-TV reporter Carol Cavazos in White Settlement contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Eight major fires burn across state

32 homes lost as North Texas town gutted; over 30,000 acres consumed

By KAREN AYRES / The Dallas Morning News

Wildfires fueled by record-high temperatures and dry, windy conditions rapidly engulfed thousands of acres across Texas on Sunday, destroying property and sending people fleeing from their homes for the second time in less than a week.

Eight major fires consumed more than 30,000 acres and destroyed the tiny town of Ringgold, southeast of Wichita Falls, by the evening as firefighters from across the region tried to tame the blazes from air tankers and helicopters as well as on the ground.

About 32 homes in Ringgold were destroyed, and at least three homes were gutted in Eastland County, not far from the scene of last week's deadly grass fire in Cross Plains.

At least a dozen wildfires continued to burn across Oklahoma on Sunday evening, including a large blaze near Guthrie, just north of Oklahoma City, that threatened several homes, said Michelann Ooten, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.

Other structures were destroyed in Mineral Wells. No deaths were reported by Sunday night, but hundreds of people were evacuated and several roads were closed across the state.

Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Traci Weaver said winds in excess of 20 mph made it impossible to control the major blazes, which continued to burn into the night.

"They're basically herding these fires until the wind goes down and they can get a handle on it," Ms. Weaver said. "You can't attack the head of it; it's just not safe."

Dozens of smaller grass fires, including one in a Dallas cemetery and another in southwest Tarrant County, erupted throughout the day as temperatures climbed to near-summer levels.

The temperature hit 83 degrees at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, shattering a 79-degree record set in 1910. Elsewhere in the state, record temperatures were also recorded.

In Eastland County near Carbon, three small fires joined together to form a seven-mile-long blaze that threatened to consume as much as 22,000 acres by nightfall. Sections of Carbon were evacuated.

"We just took up money for the folks in Cross Plains at church this morning, never thinking it would be us in just three hours," said Mallory Fagan, who waited in nearby Eastland with her daughter Shana Fuchs and 15 dogs they rounded up from the family's dog rescue.

Ms. Fuchs, 37, who is nine months pregnant, said she had been in some pain earlier in the day. "I'm just trying to stay calm, and I'm hoping that it wasn't contractions but just adrenaline," she said.

Fleeing town

She later learned that the fire passed by their house without damaging it, but Bill Sandlin, 63, and his wife weren't so lucky. As they drove away in a travel trailer packed with clothes, pictures and his gun collection, they saw flames engulf their house and three barns.

"We hate losing our stuff, but at least everybody's OK," said Mr. Sandlin, who picked up his elderly mother as he left town and later reunited with his children.

National Guard units based in Grand Prairie dropped fire retardant from heavy air tankers onto the Eastland County fire.

"We put a ton of resources on it, and there was a big response by volunteer companies," Ms. Weaver of the Forest Service said.

In Mineral Wells, officials evacuated people from homes surrounding the airport located on the Palo Pinto and Parker county lines.

The exact size of the fire was unknown Sunday evening, but Palo Pinto County Judge Mike Smiddy said a fairly small number of acres were burned in an area that is heavily wooded and hilly.

"With the conditions being what they are today, it was bound to happen somewhere," Judge Smiddy said of the fire. "That's the sad part."

Another fire in Sterling County northwest of San Angelo had spread to 1,800 acres by Sunday afternoon. One firefighter was injured battling a 2,000-acre fire on the Reagan-Irion county line southwest of San Angelo.

In the Panhandle, about 100 residents in Shamrock were being evacuated as a grass fire headed toward town, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety in Amarillo.

Other fires were reported in Wise, Clay and Montague counties in northern Texas. Ringgold, a Montague County town of about 100 people, was destroyed, authorities said. A fire also was burning along the New Mexico-Texas state line east of Tatum, N.M., a village of about 700 people about 70 miles east of Roswell.

Widespread burning

Ms. Weaver said the sheer number of fires was impossible to control, making the situation far more unwieldy than it was last Tuesday, when 90 homes and a church were destroyed in Cross Plains. That fire also killed two elderly women.

"It's very widespread today," Ms. Weaver said. "Tuesday was narrow and it was bad, but compared to today we've got them all over the place."

The worst fire season in recent memory for the state occurred in the 1995-96 winter season, when 16,000 acres burned and 141 structures were destroyed.

"We've surpassed that long since," Ms. Weaver said. "The dryness of our vegetation is unprecedented."

Jesse Moore, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the temperatures in the Dallas area are expected to drop slightly in the coming days but remain far above normal, providing more fuel for additional fires.

The warmer the air, the more moisture it can hold, which drops humidity levels and makes it easier for a blaze to burn, he said.

A morning dew settled upon the Dallas area Sunday morning, leaving water on grass and other hints of a departing rain storm. But Mr. Moore said the dew evaporated in the high temperatures and did practically nothing to curb the wildfire threat.

"There was no rain, unfortunately," he said. "Our humidity went up to 100 percent overnight, so it put a film of moisture on the ground, but it wasn't rain."

After finishing up last year nearly 16 inches below normal rainfall, the Dallas area isn't expected to get any rain in the next seven to 10 days.

Staff writer Marissa Alanis and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Fires burn across state, Oklahoma

North Texas town loses 32 homes; blazes erupt near Oklahoma City

By KAREN AYRES / The Dallas Morning News

Wildfires fueled by record-high temperatures and dry, windy conditions rapidly engulfed thousands of acres across Texas and neighboring states Sunday, destroying properties and sending people fleeing from their homes for the second time in less than a week.

Firefighters from across the region struggled to tame the blazes, in some cases using air tankers and helicopters as well as ground forces.

The small town of Ringgold, southeast of Wichita Falls in Montague County, was destroyed when its 32 houses were swept up in a fast-moving fire, authorities said.

The blaze continued on its fiery path toward the nearby town of Nocona, forcing a mandatory evacuation Sunday night that was rescinded a few hours later.

Warning sirens blared through the early evening as Nocona's 3,200 residents evacuated to places such as Nocona Elementary School, where buses were waiting to transport them to nearby communities.

"The whole town is going to be on fire," Rebecca Smith, the dispatch supervisor for the Nocona Police Department, said about 8 p.m. "And if it keeps going and they can't get it out, it's going to be the next town. It's very scary when you go and see it."

Nocona City Manager Lynn Henley said officials decided to lift the evacuation order about 10 p.m.

"They seemed to be getting hold of the fire, and I think we're going to be all right," he said.

At least three homes were destroyed in Eastland County, not far from the scene of last week's deadly grass fire in Cross Plains.

Other structures were destroyed in Mineral Wells. No deaths were reported by Sunday night, but some firefighter injuries were reported in Ringgold, Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Traci Weaver said. She didn't have details about the firefighters' conditions.

In northeast Oklahoma City, a large wildfire erupted Sunday night, destroying homes and forcing the evacuation of dozens of residents. One man suffered minor smoke inhalation, Oklahoma City Fire Maj. Brian Stanaland said. The fire was mostly contained about 8 p.m. Sunday.

A grass fire near Guthrie, north of Oklahoma City, forced the closure of Interstate 35 for more than an hour Sunday afternoon, said Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Pete Norwood. Several roads were closed across Texas, too, including U.S. Highway 82 west of Saint Jo and Nocona.

Ms. Weaver said winds in excess of 20 mph made it impossible to control the major blazes, which continued to burn into the night.

"They're basically herding these fires until the wind goes down and they can get a handle on it," Ms. Weaver said. "You can't attack the head of it, it's just not safe."

Dozens of smaller grass fires, including one in a Dallas cemetery and another in southwest Tarrant County, erupted throughout the day as temperatures climbed to near-summer levels.

The temperature hit 83 degrees at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, shattering a 79-degree record set in 1910.

A 13-mile-long fire swept into Ringgold, a Montague County town with 100 residents, on Sunday.

"The town of Ringgold is essentially gone," Ms. Weaver said.

In Eastland County near Carbon, three small fires joined together to form a seven-mile-long blaze that consumed up to 22,400 acres by nightfall. Sections of Carbon, population 245, and nearby Desdemona, with about 180 residents, were evacuated.

"We just took up money for the folks in Cross Plains at church this morning, never thinking it would be us in just three hours," said Mallory Fagan, who waited in nearby Eastland with her daughter Shana Fuchs and 15 dogs they rounded up from the family's dog rescue.

Ms. Fuchs, 37, who is nine months pregnant, said she had been in some pain earlier in the day. "I'm just trying to stay calm, and I'm hoping that it wasn't contractions but just adrenaline," she said.

Bill Sandlin, 63, and his wife saw flames engulf their house and three barns in Eastland County as they drove away in a travel trailer packed with clothes, pictures and his gun collection.

"We hate losing our stuff, but at least everybody's OK," said Mr. Sandlin, who picked up his elderly mother as he left town and later reunited with his children.

National Guard units based in Grand Prairie dropped fire retardant from heavy air tankers onto the Eastland County fire.

"We put a ton of resources on it, and there was a big response by volunteer companies," Ms. Weaver said.

She said the Texas National Guard Armory in Stephenville probably would serve as the evacuation center for Desdemona.

In Mineral Wells, officials evacuated people from homes surrounding the airport located on the Palo Pinto and Parker county lines. The fire was estimated to cover 1,800 acres by Sunday evening.

Another fire, in Sterling County northwest of San Angelo, had spread to 1,800 acres by Sunday afternoon. One firefighter was injured battling a 2,000-acre fire on the Reagan-Irion county line southwest of San Angelo.

In the Panhandle, about 100 residents in Shamrock were being evacuated as a grass fire headed toward town, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety in Amarillo.

Other fires were reported in Wise, Clay and Montague counties in northern Texas.

A wind-driven grass fire forced the evacuation of a casino, community college and neighborhoods in west Hobbs in New Mexico.

A fire also was burning along the New Mexico-Texas state line east of Tatum, N.M., a village of about 700 people about 70 miles east of Roswell.

Ms. Weaver said the sheer number of fires made them difficult to control, making the situation far more unwieldy than it was last Tuesday, when 90 homes and a church were destroyed in Cross Plains. That fire also killed two elderly women.

"It's very widespread today," Ms. Weaver said. "Tuesday was narrow and it was bad, but compared to today, we've got them all over the place."

Staff writer Marissa Alanis and The Associated Press contributed to this report.