CONTINUING COVERAGE: Extreme Wildfire Danger / Drought

[TexasStooge]

Town wiped out by wildfire

By BRAD WATSON / WFAA ABC 8

RINGGOLD, Texas — It was a frustrating and fiery start to the New Year, as destructive wildfires burned more than 30,000 acres in Texas, fueled by bone-dry vegetation, gusty winds and extremely low humidity.

In Montague County, near the Oklahoma border, the entire town of Ringgold was consumed by flames overnight in a fire that started Sunday afternoon in neighboring Clay County.

Powerful westerly winds drove the fire almost 20 miles to Ringgold—population 100. The tiny community didn't stand much of a chance.

Ringgold resident Carol Ezzell described the wall of flames this way: "They were tall and fast and they were just twirling."

The Texas Forest Service said those flames destroyed 32 homes in Ringgold and damaged seven others. The town also lost its grocery store and post office.

The monstrous fire then took aim at Nocona, about 90 miles northwest of Dallas. Officials ordered an evacuation of the entire town of 3,200 Sunday night as a precaution.

Officials said some 200 homes in the Nocona Hills subdivision were immediately at risk as the fire raced out of control.

No deaths were reported, but several firefighters and civilians were injured.

Patients at Nocona Community Hospital were transported to a hospital in Gainesville, and a shelter for Nocona residents was set up at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Muenster.

"It was scary; it's still scary," said Nocona evacuee Joyce Blevins. "I've never been in nothing like this."

The fire, however, missed Nocona and jogged north of town, where firefighters stalled its advance. But there was renewed concern Monday morning about a shift in the winds.

"The winds aren't supposed to be as strong," said Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Traci Weaver, "but they're supposed to be blowing more out of the north rather than the west, which is what we've had all day today (Sunday), which means it's going to push the fire in a different direction, so we're concerned about the southern flank of the fire."

The forest service planned to send in aircraft and helicopters to drop water and flame retardant on the fire Monday morning in an attempt to check its advance.

A pall of smoke hung over the entire region Sunday night—some of it so thick it was clearly visible on weather radar systems.

Another destructive fire raged 40 miles west of Fort Worth in Mineral Wells. At least six homes were in flames along with a number of other sheds and other structures.

Officials said the fire—which at one point stretched for five miles—may have been started by an electrical spark. It consumed an estimated 1,800 acres of land in Parker County.

The Texas Forest Service had been using aerial tankers to help control the spread of that fire, but the aircraft were grounded at dusk Sunday for safety reasons.

"Our strategy for tonight is to try and cool off any hot spots," said emergency management coordinator Berry Bateman.

Firefighters were prepared to work through the night to keep the fire under control.

The American Red Cross had units at the scene to help families displaced by the Mineral Wells fire.

Fires in the Tarrant County community of Benbrook were reported under control Sunday night, but emergency workers continued their vigil for hot spots and flareups.

Two fires were reported about 2:30 p.m., stretching across 500 acres on unoccupied private property. The first fire started near Benbrook Lake off Lakeview Drive and moved quickly.

Five different agencies worked to bring the flames under control without damage to structures or vehicles.

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.

More fires raged in and around Cross Plains on Sunday, stretching thin volunteer firefighters yet again.

That town, in Callahan, Texas, is still recovering from devastating fires last Tuesday that destroyed dozens of homes, killing two residents.

Only the sanctuary walls remain at the town's First United Methodist Church, so worshipers moved Sunday services into the parking lot.

WFAA-TV reporters Bert Lozano in Palo Pinto, John Pronk in Cross Plains, Yolanda Walker in Benbrook and Carol Cavazos in White Settlement contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Town wiped out by wildfire

By BRAD WATSON / WFAA ABC 8

RINGGOLD, Texas — It was a frustrating and fiery start to the New Year, as destructive wildfires burned more than 30,000 acres in Texas, fueled by bone-dry vegetation, gusty winds and extremely low humidity.

In Montague County, near the Oklahoma border, the entire town of Ringgold was consumed by flames overnight in a fire that started Sunday afternoon in neighboring Clay County.

Powerful westerly winds drove the fire almost 20 miles to Ringgold—population 100. The tiny community didn't stand much of a chance.

Ringgold resident Carol Ezzell described the wall of flames this way: "They were tall and fast and they were just twirling."

The Texas Forest Service said those flames destroyed 32 homes in Ringgold and damaged seven others. The town also lost its grocery store and post office.

The monstrous fire then took aim at Nocona, about 90 miles northwest of Dallas. Officials ordered an evacuation of the entire town of 3,200 Sunday night as a precaution.

Officials said some 200 homes in the Nocona Hills subdivision were immediately at risk as the fire raced out of control.

No deaths were reported, but two firefighters and two civilians were injured.

Patients at Nocona Community Hospital were transported to a hospital in Gainesville, and a shelter for Nocona residents was set up at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Muenster.

"It was scary; it's still scary," said Nocona evacuee Joyce Blevins. "I've never been in nothing like this."

The fire, however, missed Nocona and jogged north of town, where firefighters stalled its advance. But there was renewed concern Monday morning about a shift in the winds.

"The winds aren't supposed to be as strong," said Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Traci Weaver, "but they're supposed to be blowing more out of the north rather than the west, which is what we've had all day today (Sunday), which means it's going to push the fire in a different direction, so we're concerned about the southern flank of the fire."

The forest service planned to send in aircraft and helicopters to drop water and flame retardant on the fire Monday morning in an attempt to check its advance.

Another major fire continued to burn in Eastland County, about 125 miles west of Dallas, on Monday morning. The fire destroyed the tiny community of Kokomo and burned at least 35 homes. Residents of Carbon, Gorman and Desdemona were evacuated.

In the Texas Panhandle, a 6,700 acre fire in Donley County was threatening about 70 homes.

A pall of smoke hung over the entire region Sunday night—some of it so thick it was clearly visible on weather radar systems

Another destructive fire raged 40 miles west of Fort Worth in Mineral Wells. At least six homes were in flames along with a number of other sheds and other structures.

Officials said the fire—which at one point stretched for five miles—may have been started by an electrical spark. It consumed an estimated 1,800 acres of land in Parker County.

The Texas Forest Service had been using aerial tankers to help control the spread of that fire, but the aircraft were grounded at dusk Sunday for safety reasons.

"Our strategy for tonight is to try and cool off any hot spots," said emergency management coordinator Berry Bateman.

Firefighters worked through the night to keep the fire under control.

The American Red Cross had units at the scene to help families displaced by the Mineral Wells fire.

Fires in the Tarrant County community of Benbrook were reported under control Sunday night, but emergency workers continued their vigil for hot spots and flareups.

Two fires were reported about 2:30 p.m., stretching across 500 acres on unoccupied private property. The first fire started near Benbrook Lake off Lakeview Drive and moved quickly.

Five different agencies worked to bring the flames under control without damage to structures or vehicles.

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.

More fires raged in and around Cross Plains on Sunday, stretching thin volunteer firefighters yet again.

That town, in Callahan, Texas, is still recovering from devastating fires last Tuesday that destroyed dozens of homes, killing two residents.

Only the sanctuary walls remain at the town's First United Methodist Church, so worshipers moved Sunday services into the parking lot.

WFAA-TV reporters Bert Lozano in Palo Pinto, John Pronk in Cross Plains, Yolanda Walker in Benbrook and Carol Cavazos in White Settlement and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Fires continue devastation

From WFAA ABC 8 Staff

As nightfall hit Monday, one of the largest wildfires raged in San Angelo where more than 37,000 acres were burning.

Since Sunday, many tiny communities in North and West Texas have been evacuated or essentially destroyed.

Two Chinooks and seven Blackhawk helicopters joined the fire-fighting battle by dropping water over blazing land, and Governor Rick Perry surveyed some of the areas damaged Sunday, which included the virtually destroyed town of Ringgold.

While much of the small cattle town near the Oklahoma border was destroyed by a fast moving brush fire, everyone in the town was accounted for and alive.

Monday afternoon, Carolyn Grissom stood with two of her grandchildren looking at the rubble of what she called her family's dream house.

"I didn't know if we were going to make it or not," Grissom said.

Grissom and her husband were in the midst of restoring the old home before the fire consumed it.

"This was a screen porch," she said while surveying the area. "This was the living room and where you can see where my piano sat."

Residents said while firefighters did their best to battle the blaze, the 30 mph winds created little fire tornadoes that twisted and turned at random.

The fire was about 17 miles long, four miles wide and raced up Highway 81 in a matter of minutes.

When the flames eventually died, 31 of 39 homes in Ringgold were destroyed. An old cemetery's grass and topsoil were also destroyed, but the headstones survived.

Firefighters set up a perimeter outside Ringgold and watched for possible hotspots that might reignite.

"The most important thing to happen here is to get the Federal government to come in and pitch in," Governor Perry said at the site of the Ringgold damage.

He met with victims and firefighters during his tour of Ringgold and promised help was on the way.

"As I told the county judge and mayor...go do whatever you need to do [and] don't worry about the money," Governor Perry said. "We have people's lives and property in jeopardy."

Paul Gibbs, Nocona's mayor, gave potentially bad news for the already devastated region.

"That whole side of Highway 82 is ready to go up fast, or faster than what happened to the north of town," Gibbs said.

In Eastland County, where oil and ranching rule, fire grabbed the attention of the areas 15,000 residents as miles burned.

"It's rangeland," said Don Wilson, Eastland city manager. "Grass, trees and forest [were destroyed]. It's just unbelievable."

More than a dozen families lost homes between Sunday and Monday in the area.

The Weaver family, from the community of Carbon, were among those homeless after the fire destroyed the home they moved in 6 years ago after leaving Arlington.

Ellen Weaver said she had 15 minutes to get off the property and managed to grab only a few documents from the home.

"By the time I got to the car, the embers were all over," she said. "It was just yellow...out here."

All that was left of her home was a slab, melted roof and the welcome mat.

Her husband, a minister, and sons were fighting fires in another part of the county when the flames broke out at their own home.

"It was probably the most frightening time of my life," Weaver said.

And in Erath County, a separate wildfire burned homes and sent families fleeing to Red Cross shelters.

"We've got a lot of resources," said Mark Pipkin. "They're all real tired, but we're working real hard to keep it under control."

While firefighters continue to battle fires across North Texas and volunteers continue to give aid, many are becoming overwhelmed physically and monetarily.

"So, It's been an incredibly devastating year for families and difficult for the Red Cross, our volunteers and our resources," said Anita Foster, American Red Cross.

During the past week, the local chapter of the American Red Cross helped nearly 300 families who are now homeless because of fires.

In Tarrant, Wise, Parker and Hood counties, 33 families were hit. In Eastland County, fires devastated more than 116 families, and 80 in Montague.

Response organizations said the need for help has far outweighed the resources.

"Every time a disaster occurs, the Red Cross steps into that disaster and we don't know how we're going to pay for it," Foster said.

If the grassfires weren't enough, the Red Cross has also dealt with a record number of house fires since Thanksgiving, which total 176 to date.

And those disasters are just an addition to the ones created by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

"We have to...be prepared no matter what," Foster said. "We have to respond whether we have the money or not."

Dan Ronan, Yolanda Walker and Karin Kelly contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Town destroyed by fire

By HOLLY YAN / The Dallas Morning News Staff Writer

RINGGOLD, Texas – Houses, pastures, trucks, cows – all blended together Monday in a sea of black that made this sleepy town recognizable only to those who lived here.

In only a few minutes, a ferocious grass fire charred 80 percent of Ringgold. Now, the 100 or so residents of the Montague County town are left to rebuild or move on – the same unhappy option facing residents of at least two other Texas communities after a hellish week of wind and fire.

"There's nothing you can say," said Rollie Rowson, who lost about three acres of land Sunday, along with several tractor cabs, an old Cadillac and more than $20,000 in hay recently shipped from Kansas.

Across the street, four of his 40 cows stared blankly at a massive pile of blackened hay, still burning 18 hours after fire devoured the town.

"I've eaten, but they still haven't," Mr. Rowson said. "That would have been a good year's worth of hay."

The Montague County blaze, which consumed a swath a mile wide and 15 miles long, was mostly out Monday, but thousands of acres were burning elsewhere in Texas.

And the National Weather Service predicted worsening conditions Tuesday – warm, dry air and high winds that complicate firefighting.

Wildfires have consumed more than 100,000 acres since last month, destroying 241 homes and killing three people. On New Year's Day alone, more than 44,000 parched acres burned, including more than 70 homes, a symptom of one of the state's worst droughts in decades.

Ringgold, established in the 1890s at the intersection of the Rock Island railroad and the Missouri, Kansas and Texas line, has been here before.

Darrell Fuller Jr., a volunteer firefighter and longtime resident, said wildfire struck the town in 1921 and chased some people away for good. Fire hit again in 1958, nearly burning the town to the ground.

"There are lots of wonderful people who live here," Mr. Fuller Jr. said. "You have lots of elderly people who were born and raised here. Everyone helps each other, and when something like this happens, everybody pitches in to help. Nothing's going to run me off."

'It went so fast'

Mr. Fuller's father, Darrell Fuller Sr., lost his auto shop, Pop's Garage, which his sons built for him. But he was able to save his house. He said he was relaxing with his wife and grandson when he saw a blaze coming.

"It went so fast, I couldn't see" where it had started, the elder Mr. Fuller said.

He drenched the perimeter of his house before authorities ordered him to leave.

"I may have saved my house doing that," he said.

The younger Mr. Fuller suffered a flash burn to his face while driving a fire truck.

He and two passengers at one point found themselves driving over flames pushed by shifting winds.

"It was like a hurricane of fire," he said.

Mr. Rowson, the man who had lost a year's worth of hay, was at least lucky enough that his house remained. Next door, though, a fireplace and chimney stood alone where a house used to be. And Clifford DeMoss paced around the ruins of his 100-year-old stone house across the street.

"It's been standing here so long, people will remember it," Mr. DeMoss said.

Heavy smoke

The fire that swallowed Ringgold started several miles west in Clay County – investigators don't know how – on Sunday afternoon. Before long, it was out of control.

"The sky was dark. It blackened the sun," Mr. Rowson said.

Even 15 hours after the fire started, smoke was so thick that motorists couldn't crack their windows without choking.

In all, 55 fire departments battled the fire, which reached 15,000 acres and destroyed 50 homes. On Sunday night, officials raced to evacuate the town of Nocona, population 3,200, as firefighters raced to cut a dirt firewall.

"It worked," said David Hall, a volunteer with the Bowie Fire Department. "The dirt stopped the fire from spreading."

Gov. Rick Perry, who toured the devastated areas on Monday, lauded local fire volunteers, who he noted often resort to fundraisers such as bake sales to fund their operations.

"I thank communities across Texas for the strength you have shown," Mr. Perry said. "Just as we have fought these fires together as a state, we will recover together as a state."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Windy weather expected to spread fires

From WFAA ABC 8 Staff

Firefighting conditions are expected to deteriorate today, as a cold front brings gustier winds and lower humidity.

The National Weather Service has issued a "red flag warning" for parts of Texas, which is experiencing one of its worst droughts in 50 years.

Since December, grass fires in the state have killed three people, burned more than 200,000 acres and destroyed at least 250 homes, according to the Texas Forest Service.

The following fires have been reported in the past two days:

•A 50,000-acre fire with a 50-mile perimeter in parts of Irion and Reagan counties, an hour west of San Angelo. The fire was about 70 percent contained Tuesday.

•A fire that scorched 35,000 acres in Eastland County, about 125 miles west of Dallas, was contained Tuesday. The fire destroyed 35 structures and a church, forced evacuation of the towns Carbon, Gorman and Desdemona and essentially destroyed the tiny community of Kokomo, which lost at least eight homes. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries.

•A 40,000-acre blaze in Ringgold and Nocona in North Texas near the Oklahoma border was contained.

•A 40,000-acre fire in Sterling County in West Texas was contained. No structural damage was reported, but two people suffered minor injuries.

•A 21,350-acre fire in Donley County in the Panhandle was contained.

•A 6,000-acre fire in Huckabay in Erath County, about 95 miles southwest of Dallas, was contained. It destroyed five homes and several other structures.

Some people have lost everything.

Coylee Grimsley, 88, of Ringgold told Associated Press that fires destroyed the home she had lived in for the past 72 years.

"Nothing to go back there for," Grimsley said. "It's sad ... you don't know what to think."

Some 31 of 39 homes in Ringgold were destroyed. An old cemetery's grass and topsoil were also destroyed, but the headstones survived.

Firefighters set up a perimeter outside Ringgold and watched for possible hotspots that might reignite.

Governor Perry declared Texas a disaster area last week because of the fires and drought, and he said the declaration will help people to receive federal aid to rebuild.

"The most important thing to happen here is to get the Federal government to come in and pitch in," Governor Perry said at the site of the Ringgold damage.

"As I told the county judge and mayor...go do whatever you need to do [and] don't worry about the money... We have people's lives and property in jeopardy."

While firefighters continue to battle fires across North Texas and volunteers continue to give aid, many are becoming overwhelmed physically and monetarily.

"So, It's been an incredibly devastating year for families and difficult for the Red Cross, our volunteers and our resources," said Anita Foster, American Red Cross.

During the past week, the local chapter of the American Red Cross helped nearly 300 families who are now homeless because of fires.


Texas Forest Service
An area of extreme fire danger (red) stretches south from the Panhandle; forecasters say the threat was very high Tuesday from Dallas-Fort Worth west (brown).

[TexasStooge]

Winds could spread fires (Updated)

From WFAA ABC 8 Staff

Firefighting conditions are expected to deteriorate today, as a cold front brings gustier winds and lower humidity.

The National Weather Service has issued a "red flag warning" for parts of Texas, which is experiencing one of its worst droughts in 50 years.

Since December, grass fires in the state have killed three people, burned more than 200,000 acres and destroyed at least 250 homes, according to the Texas Forest Service.

The following fires have been reported in the past two days:

•A 50,000-acre fire with a 50-mile perimeter in parts of Irion and Reagan counties, an hour west of San Angelo. The fire was about 70 percent contained Tuesday.

•A fire that scorched 35,000 acres in Eastland County, about 125 miles west of Dallas, was contained Tuesday. The fire destroyed 35 structures and a church, forced evacuation of the towns Carbon, Gorman and Desdemona and essentially destroyed the tiny community of Kokomo, which lost at least eight homes. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries.

•A 40,000-acre blaze in Ringgold and Nocona in North Texas near the Oklahoma border was contained.

•A 40,000-acre fire in Sterling County in West Texas was contained. No structural damage was reported, but two people suffered minor injuries.

•A 21,350-acre fire in Donley County in the Panhandle was contained.

•A 6,000-acre fire in Huckabay in Erath County, about 95 miles southwest of Dallas, was contained. It destroyed five homes and several other structures.

Some people have lost everything.

Coylee Grimsley, 88, of Ringgold told Associated Press that fires destroyed the home she had lived in for the past 72 years.

"Nothing to go back there for," Grimsley said. "It's sad ... you don't know what to think."

Some 31 of 39 homes in Ringgold were destroyed. An old cemetery's grass and topsoil were also destroyed, but the headstones survived.

Firefighters set up a perimeter outside Ringgold and watched for possible hotspots that might reignite.

Governor Perry declared Texas a disaster area last week because of the fires and drought, and he said the declaration will help people to receive federal aid to rebuild.

"The most important thing to happen here is to get the Federal government to come in and pitch in," Governor Perry said at the site of the Ringgold damage.

"As I told the county judge and mayor...go do whatever you need to do [and] don't worry about the money... We have people's lives and property in jeopardy."

While firefighters continue to battle fires across North Texas and volunteers continue to give aid, many are becoming overwhelmed physically and monetarily.

"So, It's been an incredibly devastating year for families and difficult for the Red Cross, our volunteers and our resources," said Anita Foster, American Red Cross.

During the past week, the local chapter of the American Red Cross helped nearly 300 families who are now homeless because of fires.


Texas Forest Service
An area of extreme fire danger (red) stretches south from the Panhandle; forecasters say the threat was very high Tuesday from Dallas-Fort Worth west (brown).

[TexasStooge]

Texas gets grant to help fight fires

From WFAA ABC 8 and Associated Press

Texas is getting federal money to help pay the cost of fighting deadly wildfires.

The funding was announced today by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA has approved requests from Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico for assistance from the Disaster Relief Fund to aid in firefighting efforts.

The FEMA authorization makes funding available for 75 percent of each state's eligible firefighting costs.

Word of the funding came as firefighting conditions were expected to deteriorate ahead of a cold front bringing gustier winds and lower humidity.

The National Weather Service has issued a "red flag warning" for parts of Texas, which is experiencing one of its worst droughts in 50 years.

Since December, grass fires in the state have killed three people, burned more than 200,000 acres and destroyed at least 250 homes, according to the Texas Forest Service.

The following fires have been reported in the past two days:

•A 50,000-acre fire with a 50-mile perimeter in parts of Irion and Reagan counties, an hour west of San Angelo. The fire was about 70 percent contained Tuesday.

•A fire that scorched 35,000 acres in Eastland County, about 125 miles west of Dallas, was contained Tuesday. The fire destroyed 35 structures and a church, forced evacuation of the towns Carbon, Gorman and Desdemona and essentially destroyed the tiny community of Kokomo, which lost at least eight homes. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries.

•A 40,000-acre blaze in Ringgold and Nocona in North Texas near the Oklahoma border was contained.

•A 40,000-acre fire in Sterling County in West Texas was contained. No structural damage was reported, but two people suffered minor injuries.

•A 21,350-acre fire in Donley County in the Panhandle was contained.

•A 6,000-acre fire in Huckabay in Erath County, about 95 miles southwest of Dallas, was contained. It destroyed five homes and several other structures.

Some people have lost everything.

Coylee Grimsley, 88, of Ringgold told Associated Press that fires destroyed the home she had lived in for the past 72 years.

"Nothing to go back there for," Grimsley said. "It's sad ... you don't know what to think."

Some 31 of 39 homes in Ringgold were destroyed. An old cemetery's grass and topsoil were also destroyed, but the headstones survived.

Firefighters set up a perimeter outside Ringgold and watched for possible hotspots that might reignite.

Governor Perry declared Texas a disaster area last week because of the fires and drought, and he said the declaration will help people to receive federal aid to rebuild.

"The most important thing to happen here is to get the Federal government to come in and pitch in," Governor Perry said at the site of the Ringgold damage.

"As I told the county judge and mayor...go do whatever you need to do [and] don't worry about the money... We have people's lives and property in jeopardy."

While firefighters continue to battle fires across North Texas and volunteers continue to give aid, many are becoming overwhelmed physically and monetarily.

"So, It's been an incredibly devastating year for families and difficult for the Red Cross, our volunteers and our resources," said Anita Foster, American Red Cross.

During the past week, the local chapter of the American Red Cross helped nearly 300 families who are now homeless because of fires.

[TexasStooge]

All but one fire inactive in Texas

DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) -- All but one major Texas blaze remained inactive Wednesday as firefighters continued to monitor flare-ups amid slightly lighter winds and cooler temperatures.

A fire that scorched about 50,000 acres in Irion and Reagan counties had been 60 percent contained Tuesday night and continued to burn in areas Wednesday morning, Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Mary Leathers said.

Air and ground crews worked overnight to battle the blaze and officials were trying to determine Wednesday morning how many acres were still burning.

Otherwise, the nearly 60 blazes that erupted Sunday were inactive. There were no deaths reported in those fires. Since December, grass fires have killed three people, burned more than 250,000 acres and destroyed at least 250 homes.

A "red flag warning" remained in effect Wednesday in North Texas, meaning heat, low humidity and wind could allow wildfires to spread quickly. But National Weather Service meteorologist Jesse Moore said an overnight cold front and slightly slower wind speeds prompted the warning to be dropped in other areas.

Wind gusts could reach 25 mph in North Texas but were expected to remain between 15-20 mph in most other regions, Moore said. Humidity was slightly higher than forecasts earlier in the week but still posed a fire threat when combined with other conditions, he said.

"With the low humidities and the winds, there will still continue to be an increased fire danger," he said.

[TexasStooge]

Last Texas fire 'mostly contained'

DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) -- Firefighters battled the only major Texas blaze Wednesday to nearly 100 percent containment and continued to monitor flare-ups statewide amid slightly lighter winds and cooler temperatures.

The fire that scorched about 50,000 acres in Irion and Reagan counties was expected to be fully contained Wednesday evening, Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Ron Perry said. He said crews were finishing the last three miles of the perimeter and would then leave "the volunteer fire department out there to patrol it."

"They have very little activity on the fire," Perry said.

Otherwise, the nearly 60 blazes that erupted Sunday were inactive. There were no deaths reported in those fires. Since December, grass fires have killed three people, burned more than 250,000 acres and destroyed at least 250 homes.

A "red flag warning" remained in effect Wednesday in North Texas, meaning heat, low humidity and wind could allow wildfires to spread quickly. But National Weather Service meteorologist Jesse Moore said an overnight cold front and slightly slower wind speeds prompted the warning to be dropped in other areas.

Wind gusts could reach 25 mph in North Texas but were expected to remain between 15-20 mph in most other regions, Moore said. Humidity was slightly higher than forecasts earlier in the week but still posed a fire threat when combined with other conditions, he said.

"With the low humidities and the winds, there will still continue to be an increased fire danger," he said.

[TexasStooge]

Firefighters make more progress

Most Oklahoma, Texas blazes contained; weary crews remain on alert

From The Dallas Morning News Staff and Wire Reports

Firefighters in Texas nearly contained the only major blaze in the state Wednesday and continued to monitor flare-ups statewide amid slightly lighter winds and lower temperatures.

In southern Oklahoma, crews aided by airplanes that dropped fire retardant contained a 7,000-acre grass fire in the Arbuckle Mountains and began battling another fire in the area. Elsewhere in Oklahoma, about a dozen grass fires flared in dry, sunny conditions, but firefighters quickly knocked down the flames, officials said. All fires in the state were contained by evening, they said.

Firefighters in both states were weary from battling blazes over the past couple of weeks. Since December, grass fires in Texas have killed three people, burned more than 250,000 acres and destroyed at least 250 homes. In Oklahoma, fires since Nov. 1 have killed two people, burned across 353,000 acres and destroyed more than 220 homes and businesses.

Fire alerts remained in effect Wednesday in North Texas and Oklahoma. Officials said heat, low humidity and wind – up to 25 mph in North Texas – could allow wildfires to spread quickly. An overnight cold front and slightly slower wind speeds prompted the warning to be dropped in other areas of Texas.

Forecasters were predicting that Saturday could be a particularly dangerous day, with higher temperatures, low humidity and high winds expected.

"It's getting kind of ridiculous, actually," National Weather Service forecaster Bruce Thoren said. "It's one thing to be dry. It's another thing to be dry and have above-average temperatures like we've had the last two weeks."

The fire that scorched about 50,000 acres in Texas' Irion and Reagan counties was expected to be fully contained Wednesday evening, Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Ron Perry said. He said crews were finishing the last three miles of the perimeter and would then leave "the volunteer fire department out there to patrol it."

The Wise County Sheriff's Office said several fires in that county were possible arsons, and officials asked anybody seeing anything suspicious to call the sheriff's office at 940-627-5971 or 911.

Official said Wise County Crime Stoppers – 1-800-643-TIPS – will offer a reward for information leading to the arrest of anybody responsible for intentionally setting a fire.

In Anadarko in western Oklahoma, an 18-year-old man, Justin Wilkerson, was arrested Monday on arson charges in connection with three small grass fires and a house fire set on New Year's Day.

[TexasStooge]

Fire burns 1,500 acres in Hunt County

FARMERSVILLE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Fire crews are attempting to bring under control a fire covering 1,500 acres in Farmsville, Hunt County.

The Texas Forest Service is set to send in helicopters which are going to be providing a water drop to help put out the flames.

A farmhouse and the surrounding area have been completely destroyed.

A barrier has been built around bales of hay on the farm, although some of them have already caught alight.

People can be seen using shirts and coats to try and put out the flames.

A wild fire has also been report in Collin County. Investigators think downed power lines caused the blaze. No structures are thought to be threatened at present.

[TexasStooge]

Counties extend burn ban

1,500 acres charred in Hunt; two other grass fires doused in Collin

By ED HOUSEWRIGHT and TIARA M. ELLIS / The Dallas Morning News

Grass fires continued to dot North Texas on Thursday, as some local governments extended and strengthened burn bans enacted because of an ongoing drought.

The largest grass fire burned more than 1,500 acres in Hunt County, while at least two other fires were doused in Collin County.

Collin, Tarrant and Kaufman County officials extended burn bans.

Effective immediately in Collin, residents cannot use wood-burning grills or smokers unless they have a firebox that is completely enclosed with a door, as opposed to a lid, according to county commissioners' orders.

In addition, portable tabletop grills that use gas – such as Coleman fuel – are banned.

"North Texas is contending with an emergency situation," County Judge Ron Harris said. "We must take an active role in protecting the residents of Collin County."

American Medical Response dispatchers received the call about a grass fire in Hunt County just outside of Caddo Mills at about 2 p.m. Thursday. The fire burned for 2 ½ hours, destroying a few structures before five Hunt County fire departments were able to get it under control, said Brian Thomas, a dispatcher for AMR. Farmersville fire officials also assisted.

No injuries were reported, Mr. Thomas said.

On the other side of the county line, fire departments responded to calls from residents worried about the smoke that could be seen for miles.

"We are being called to check on some of the big ranches, and citizens saying they are worried the fire might get close to their houses," said Josephine Fire Chief Gabriel Moreno while patrolling Thursday afternoon.

Firefighters battled a smaller blaze across 12 acres in Fairview on Thursday morning. And a fire was contained to a creek bed east of Blue Ridge near County Road 825 Thursday afternoon, said Collin County Fire Marshal Steve Deffibaugh.

The county will have a zero-tolerance policy on the use of any combustible materials outdoors, officials said.

To enforce the stricter burn ban, Collin County Sheriff Terry Box said that two extra patrol cars will be out every day.

Anyone witnessing someone violating the burn ban is asked to call 911.

"We are urging residents not to contact their local volunteer fire departments," Marshal Deffibaugh said. "Calling 911 is the best way for emergency crews to respond."

The new order also requires a permit for welding or other "hot work," such as soldering, grinding or installing roof surfaces with a torch.

Collin County residents in unincorporated areas can obtain the permits free from the fire marshal's office.

City residents are asked to check with local officials for permit information.

The burn ban was initially approved by commissioners on Dec. 23 and is set to expire March 23. It prohibits the use of all fireworks in unincorporated areas.

Tarrant County Judge Tom Vandergriff on Thursday renewed for the next seven days the disaster declaration and an executive order prohibiting the use of all combustibles in Tarrant County because of the continuing fire danger.

Combustible materials include fireworks, the discarding of cigarettes or other flammable materials, and welding.

On Tuesday, the Tarrant County Commissioners Court will consider extending the executive order.

Kaufman County's emergency ban has been extended for a week, through Thursday.

[TexasStooge]

Firefighters fight more North Texas fires

From WFAA ABC 8 Staff

Firefighters waged war on new wildfires in North Texas Thursday night.

The biggest threat of the night was a brush fire in Parker County located in an area near Old Agnes Road and Union Lane in Parker County.

Firefighters said it was a bad combination of low humidity and gusty winds that caused the fire to race across around 100 acres.

"It was terrible, bad and unexplainable," said Eric Brown, a Parker County homeowner.

Brown said he and other homeowners in the area rushed to do what they could to decrease damage from the fire.

"Oh we got out here with the water, hoses, buckets and got all my buddies out here helping," he said.

Later, authorities from Wisconsin helped create a contingency line to help stop the fire from spreading to the Brown residence.

Firefighters managed to get the fire under control and surrounding structures were saved, but the sole owner of the land scorched lost several acres.

Firefighters from Colorado and Wisconsin were on hand in the area to help battle the fire, but the cause of the fire was still under investigation.

Earlier in the day, fire crews brought a fire under control that covered 1,500 acres in Farmsville, Hunt County and destroyed one home.

The Texas Forest Service sent helicopters, which provided a water drop to help put out the flames.

A farmhouse and the surrounding area have been completely destroyed.

A barrier has been built around bales of hay on the farm, although some of them have already caught alight.

People could be seen using shirts and coats to try and put out the flames.

A wildfire was also reported in Collin County. Investigators believed a downed power lines caused the blaze. No structures were at threat.

[TexasStooge]

3 states' major fires contained

But threat of more blazes continues with dry, windy conditions

From The Dallas Morning News, Texas Cable News and Associated Press

Firefighters across Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico monitored flare-ups and assessed damage Tuesday after mostly containing major blazes in the states, but the threat of new fires loomed as conditions remained windy and dry.

In Texas, a fire in Irion and Reagan counties, west of San Angelo, scorched about 50,000 acres but was 70 percent contained by Tuesday, local officials said. And a 6,000-acre fire in Erath County that had been contained became active again Tuesday and was threatening seven or so homes, the Texas Forest Service said.

Investigators believe a series of grass fires in the Haltom City area is the result of arson. Police are still investigating.

Otherwise, the largest among the nearly 60 blazes that erupted Sunday were contained. There were no deaths reported in those fires. Since December, grass fires have killed three people, burned more than 250,000 acres and destroyed at least 250 homes.

A National Weather Service "red flag warning" was in effect Tuesday and today, meaning heat, low humidity and wind could allow wildfires to spread quickly. Highs in the upper 70s to mid-80s were forecast in the region experiencing one of its worst droughts in 50 years, and winds could reach 20 mph, meteorologist Jesse Moore said.

"It just seems like Mother Nature's not cutting us any slack," said Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Traci Weaver. "They're telling us now that our first chance of rain is Friday the 13th, which doesn't give me a lot of hope."

In Oklahoma, officials had contained by midafternoon a fire that broke out a few hours earlier. The fire, which officials suspect was an arson because it started near a highway, destroyed an abandoned school house and one home and damaged other structures.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday announced that it had approved requests from Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico for assistance from the nation's Disaster Relief Fund to aid in firefighting efforts.

The FEMA authorization makes funding available for 75 percent of each state's eligible firefighting costs.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Tuesday that he was expanding his request for federal aid to include long-term, low-interest-rate loans from the Small Business Administration for residents of Callahan, Cooke, Eastland, Erath, Hood and Montague counties.

Mr. Perry made a statewide declaration of emergency Dec. 27 and has requested a presidential disaster declaration.

Staff writer Holly Yan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Firefighters flock to Texas

By KARIN KELLY / WFAA ABC 8

The wildfires are taking a toll on the people losing property but also on those fighting the fires.

Overall, the Texas Forestry Service has responded to 374 fires since December 23rd, and more than 100 of those in the last four days.

Also, more than 234,000 acres have been burned since that date.

Help is here for fatigued firefighters. Nearly 500 people are now in North Texas to help battle grass fires, and many are from other states.

The command center is in Hood County.

Steve Mays is with the Tallahassee Fire Department.

"Oh I'm excited," he says.

He left the structures in Florida to moonlight on the plains. He likes the extra money and the adrenalin rush.

"This is incredible... situation," he says.

Some 500 professionals paid by Texas rolled in for a two week tour of duty.

John Timmermann of Missouri is a self-employed wildfire fighter.

He says the expenses he is paid are good.

But most here are employees of federal and state agencies making their regular paycheck and unforgettable memories.

[TexasStooge]

Six new fires threaten homes across Texas

Smaller blazes reported in Oklahoma, where first charge filed under ban

From The Dallas Morning News and Associated Press

Firefighters were battling six new blazes that flared Thursday throughout Texas, threatening dozens of houses and buildings.

Fires were reported near houses or other structures in Hunt, Parker and Bexar counties. A 250-acre fire near Killeen in Bell County had been brought under control by evening, officials said, and authorities were battling two smaller fires in Clay and Hale counties.

And, in Oklahoma, where crews were fighting two dozen relatively small fires Thursday, authorities announced that the first charge for violating a statewide burn ban had been filed.

Oklahoma County District Attorney Wes Lane said the charge against retiree William George Fields, 57, is a misdemeanor. Mr. Lane said Mr. Fields was burning trash when he touched off a blaze that charred several acres and threatened a home.

Those convicted of violating the governor's burn ban face up to one year in jail and a $500 fine.

"I want to send a message that this is a dangerous, dangerous situation," Mr. Lane said.

Mr. Fields had not been arrested Thursday. He told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the fire started when he dropped a cigarette. He said that a sheriff's deputy gave him a citation the day of the fire.

"I was the culprit, but it was unintentional, and as far as it goes, it only damaged my property," he said.

In Anadarko in western Oklahoma, authorities this week charged an 18-year-old man, Justin Wilkerson, the son of a former fire official, with arson in four blazes. All were small, but one significantly damaged a vacant house.

[TexasStooge]

Wildfire danger remains high

From WFAA ABC 8 Staff Reporters

A Red Flag Warning was in effect through 6 p.m. Sunday for all of North Texas due to the critical risk of fire.

The National Weather Service said a combination of near-record temperatures, strong winds and very low humidity have combined to create conditions that are favorable to the rapid spread of fires.

Wildfires were reported in at least eight Texas counties on Saturday. One hot spot was in Central Texas, where flames threatened homes in Bastrop County.

Firefighters were well prepared for this weekend, with many volunteer fire stations fully staffed.

In Mansfield, a home was destroyed when a grassfire swept through a neighborhood. Investigators said the blaze may have been sparked by an outdoor grill.

Homeowners used water hoses to try and keep the fire from spreading to their properties.

Atef Aziz said he believed the fire started in his backyard. "I tried to stop the smoke, it was just smoke—and the smoke turned to fire in a few seconds," he said.

Firefighters from Mansfield and Arlington extinguished the flames—or so they thought. As they continued to work on hotspots, smoke began seeping from the roof of one residence and spread through the entire attic.

It didn't take long for the fire to consume the home.

Investigators believe ashes from the grassfire simmered on the home's roof before igniting the blaze.

Firefighters doused neighboring homes to keep the fire from spreading. The family lost everything except for a few pictures and photo albums.

"We got everybody out, so that's a great thing," said Kevin Jackson, the fire victim's brother. "Mom was there, and she got everybody out for us."

Tarrant County remains under a burn ban, but fire investigators were checking reports the grass fire may have been ignited by an outside grill. Windy conditions can carry hot ashes into dry fields.

"We're discouraging anybody from doing any grilling—especially charcoal grilling," said Mansfield Fire Department Assistant Chief Eric Peterson.

Firefighters were bracing for even more firestorms on Sunday, when stronger winds are predicted.

Southeast of Mansfield, one of the biggest fires on Saturday raged in southern Hood County near the town of Paluxy, not far from Granbury.

The fire was just southwest of the Comanche Peak nuclear power plant, but the Texas Forest Service said the facility was never in danger.

In Denton County, another grass fire broke out around 1 p.m. Saturday between Denton and Krum.

The fire burned nearly 40 acres, and threatened several structures.

Mesquite officials said a blaze in that city on Saturday did not appear to be accidental. Some 60 firefighters were called in to contain it; one suffered from smoke inhalation.

And a reminder: The burn ban in effect in unincorporated areas of Collin County was strengthened this week. No portable charcoal grills and no wood grills are permitted.

The Collin County fire marshal said the risk is simply too high, especially when high winds or even a simple bump by a pet could tip over a grill.

The strict new rules last for 90 days.

WFAA-TV reporter Bert Lozano in Mansfield contributed to this report

[TexasStooge]

Brains join brawn in wildfire fight

By SCOTT FARWELL / The Dallas Morning News

GRANBURY, Texas – In the imprecise science of fire fortune telling, the laptop computer is the new crystal ball. Peer into it, as a platoon of analysts did last week around Texas, and what you see is somewhat frightening.

For at least two more weeks – and possibly as long as two months – wildfires will continue to catch and burn. The sky will remain dry. And whipsawing winds, the gasoline-like accelerant of prairie fires, will fan the flames.

Throughout last week, the acres kept burning in Texas. Seven new fires ignited on Saturday; Texas Forest Service firefighters had them encircled before nightfall. Since Christmas, 400 fires have burned about 300,000 acres, destroying 244 homes and claiming three lives.

Charred prairie and fire-warped metal are all that remain of two prairie towns, Ringgold and Kokomo. Another rural outpost, Cross Plains, was burned so badly it might never recover.

"As long as it's dry and the wind keeps blowing, we're going to have fires," said Ken Wooster, a high-tech firefighter for the U.S. Department of Agriculture who specializes in the exotic field of "fire behavior."

He's among about two dozen experts assembled at the end of a road into the Granbury Municipal Airport, the brain stem of Texas' intellectual battle against wildfires.

It is here, inside a metal building that normally holds six employees, where the first calls for help often crackle across the radio.

"This is the pulse," said Traci Weaver, a spokeswoman for the Texas Forest Service, standing alongside a wall in Granbury last week. "This is where it all comes together when we're fighting fires."

It is a room with the all-business efficiency of NASA, but none of the formality. A dry-erase board is the centerpiece of the state's tactical response to the fires. Colored sticky notes are arranged in rows – blue for aircraft, green for fire crews, yellow for heavy equipment.

"We'll be all right," Ms. Weaver joked, "unless a strong wind comes through."

Two other similar command posts are stationed in Abilene and Lufkin.

So far, the state has spent more than $5 million fighting wildfires, Ms. Weaver said. Fire crews from 34 states have been summoned to Texas.

The force has grown from 450 firefighters last week, to more than 1,000 today, and the cost has grown with it. Texas is spending more than $600,000 a day to fight wildfires.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has promised to pay 75 percent of the state's costs on seven fires. If Gov. Rick Perry's request for a federal state of disaster is granted, the feds will pay 75 percent of every substantial fire.

Assessing risk

Last week in Granbury, firefighting specialists from five states worked computer models to figure out which regions of Texas were at highest risk.

Their reports pivot on the all-important axis of fire meteorology – wind speed and humidity – and track along clusters of winter-dead grass, hibernating bushes and brittle dry juniper trees.

The result is a map with a red blob in an asymmetrical field of orange. Except for a blue fringe along the coast, it looks as if the entire state could light up.

Rain will be the only relief, said Joe Harris, a National Weather Service meteorologist stationed at a folding table in the command center.

A lot of times, he said, "drought feeds on itself."

"We need to go through a sustained wet period," he said. But forecasters see no precipitation in the immediate future. The soonest, Mr. Harris said, would be Jan. 19 or Jan. 20, with rain clouds riding what he called the "pineapple express," a high-altitude conveyor belt that carries clouds out of the Hawaiian Islands, into the Gulf and up over Texas.

But even that might not be enough to dampen the wildfire risk, said Mr. Wooster, the fire behaviorist, who stood before a map of Texas, rubbing his neck and trying to be patient.

His ice-white hair and three-day beard suggest part-mountain man, part-mad scientist. "If it only rains an inch or two," he said, "that won't do diddly-squat." Texas is as dry as it has been in a half century. Last year was the fourth-wettest on record. The result is a bumper crop of prairie grass that has been baked to the relative flammability of papier-mâché, Mr. Wooster said.

He said that, to understand how dry the soil is along a 200-mile swath from Laredo north to Oklahoma, you'd have to imagine an unwatered potted plant dried and sitting in the sun.

"You know how the soil gets all crusty and dry," he said, "that's what it's like in Texas right now."

Fast fire

Without wind, prairie fires burn slowly, in a circle. Add a steady breeze, and it's off to the races. Consider the 40,000-acre Ringgold fire, which left a long, narrow skid mark across North Texas on New Year's Day. It galloped 17 miles at about 5 mph across cattle and ranch land, the fastest firefighters said they had ever seen.

And it could have been worse. Had the wind shifted from the west to the south, Texas Forest Service crews would have faced a nightmare – a firestorm 17 miles long.

It takes a lot of manpower and machinery – helicopters, air tankers and bulldozers – to cover a state as vast as Texas, said Ms. Weaver, the Texas Forest Service spokeswoman.

The first few minutes of a prairie fire are critical, she said. Fire crews attack the head of the fire and try to smother it quickly. When the wind conspires against them, as it often has this fire season, the tactics change.

Firefighters "anchor, flank and pinch it off," she said. The first move is to protect homes and begin evacuating people. Then firefighters often use bulldozers to squeeze the fire from the sides, starving it of fuel, and if necessary, hit the head from the air.

Ms. Weaver said state firefighters are trained to fight fire with fire. If they can get out front, they will scrape a strip of land bare, and then set a backfire.

When those strategies don't work, a fire can grown into an inferno and sprint for miles.

It happened during a drought in February 1996. The Poolville fire west of Fort Worth consumed 16,000 acres, destroyed 141 structures and injured 52 people. In all, 1.67 million acres burned that fire season.

By some measures, the conditions are worse in Texas this year.

A little bit of luck

Firefighting is part serendipity, part science.

Several days last week, the humidity was extremely low – about 10 percent – and the winds were high – 20 to 30 mph. Only good luck and preparation spared the state from a rolling grassfire.

Part of the good fortune, Ms. Weaver said, is that Texas' fires caught during the holidays, the slow season for national media. She sees the coverage as an opportunity to teach Texas homeowners how to protect their homes.

She plugged http://www.firewise.org on national television, including CNN and Good Morning America.

Ms. Weaver said there's even been some comic relief.

Diane Sawyer asked permission to stand outside in the wind and light a stalk of dry brush on fire for the camera, to demonstrate how easily it would catch.

They compromised, and a local fire marshal lighted dried grass in a metal container. Ms. Weaver cut the TV reporter some slack.

"If I was up in New York, I guess I wouldn't know how things work," she said. "And they don't really understand how things work in Texas."

[TexasStooge]

Wildfire danger remains high

From WFAA ABC 8 Staff Reporters

A Red Flag Warning was in effect through 6 p.m. Sunday for all of North Texas due to the critical risk of fire.

The National Weather Service said a combination of near-record temperatures, strong winds and very low humidity have combined to create conditions that are favorable to the rapid spread of fires.

Early Sunday, firefighters battled a grass fire in Grand Prairie. It threatened some businesses as it burned along Jefferson Blvd. near the now-closed Dallas Naval Air Station.

Grand Prairie Fire Department spokesman Lt. Randy Willis said a passing train likely triggered the fires in a 10-block area.

"A lot of times, trains come through, they have hot brakes and they'll throw off sparks," Willis said. "It pretty well gets the grass on fire."

At least three structures were damaged by the fires. Several used and junk cars in a fenced lot also were burned.

Firefighters from Dallas and Irving assisted Grand Prairie crews in putting out the fires.

Wildfires were reported in at least eight Texas counties on Saturday. One hot spot was in Central Texas, where flames threatened homes in Bastrop County.

Firefighters were well prepared for this weekend, with many volunteer fire stations fully staffed.

In Mansfield, a home was destroyed when a grassfire swept through a neighborhood. Investigators said the blaze may have been sparked by an outdoor grill.

Homeowners used water hoses to try and keep the fire from spreading to their properties.

Atef Aziz said he believed the fire started in his backyard. "I tried to stop the smoke, it was just smoke—and the smoke turned to fire in a few seconds," he said.

Firefighters from Mansfield and Arlington extinguished the flames—or so they thought. As they continued to work on hotspots, smoke began seeping from the roof of one residence and spread through the entire attic.

It didn't take long for the fire to consume the home.

Investigators believe ashes from the grassfire simmered on the home's roof before igniting the blaze.

Firefighters doused neighboring homes to keep the fire from spreading. The family lost everything except for a few pictures and photo albums.

"We got everybody out, so that's a great thing," said Kevin Jackson, the fire victim's brother. "Mom was there, and she got everybody out for us."

Tarrant County remains under a burn ban, but fire investigators were checking reports the grass fire may have been ignited by an outside grill. Windy conditions can carry hot ashes into dry fields.

"We're discouraging anybody from doing any grilling—especially charcoal grilling," said Mansfield Fire Department Assistant Chief Eric Peterson.

Firefighters were bracing for even more firestorms on Sunday, when stronger winds are predicted.

Southeast of Mansfield, one of the biggest fires on Saturday raged in southern Hood County near the town of Paluxy, not far from Granbury.

The fire was just southwest of the Comanche Peak nuclear power plant, but the Texas Forest Service said the facility was never in danger.

In Denton County, another grass fire broke out around 1 p.m. Saturday between Denton and Krum.

The fire burned nearly 40 acres, and threatened several structures.

Mesquite officials said a blaze in that city on Saturday did not appear to be accidental. Some 60 firefighters were called in to contain it; one suffered from smoke inhalation.

And a reminder: The burn ban in effect in unincorporated areas of Collin County was strengthened this week. No portable charcoal grills and no wood grills are permitted.

The Collin County fire marshal said the risk is simply too high, especially when high winds or even a simple bump by a pet could tip over a grill.

The strict new rules last for 90 days.

WFAA-TV reporter Bert Lozano in Mansfield contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Firefighters battle small fires across Texas

From The Dallas Morning News and Associated Press

More than 60 wildfires were reported across the state Sunday but most were contained to 30 acres or less, fire officials said.

Jim Caldwell, a fire information officer for the U.S. Forest Service, said the biggest fires included one that scorched about 150 acres Cherokee County.

Another fire in Wood County burned 70 acres before forcing the evacuation of several homes, he said.

Crews also fought fires in Erath, Upshur and Austin counties.

Caldwell said most of the fires were contained because of burn bans and more firefighting resources, such as aircraft.

“Now with all this in place, we are getting to the fires very quickly,” he said. “Most of (the fires) were acted on very quickly and most of the structures were protected.”

He stressed that the fire danger still exists.

“If we start experiencing winds like that again, there's no doubt we will have problems again,” he said, referring to the conditions that fueled last month's deadly wildfires. “What we need is less wind and a whole lot of rain.”