Texas – Page 2 – Wildfire Today

Grass fire burns into Dallas suburb, destroys 9 homes

Another 17 were damaged

Texas WUI

Firefighters work to control two fires in north Texas, Chalk Mountain and 1148

Multiple homes were destroyed in both fires

Texas

Dempsey Fire west of Mineral Wells, continues to challenge Texas firefighters

The Dempsey Fire six miles west of Mineral Wells, Texas has crossed the Brazos River in several places. It was very active again Saturday, but not to the extreme levels seen on Friday.

When the fire was mapped by an aircraft at 8 p.m. Saturday the northwest side had reached Fortune Bend Road and spotted across. The northeast side of the fire was close to Wrangler Field and had not reached Grassy Ridge Road or Lewis Road. It was about three miles south of Graford, one mile west of highway 337, and two to three miles south of highway 254.

To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Dempsey Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.

The size at that time, accounting for the large unburned areas along the river, was about 10,000 acres. Sunday morning the Texas Forest Service reported it had burned 11,597 acres.

Dempsey Fire map, 8 p.m. CDT June 25, 2022.

On Saturday crews continued to construct line, hold the fire along roadways, engage spot fires, and hold the fire along the Brazos River where they could. Aircraft assisted firefighters on the ground with drops from helicopters and air tankers.

Dempsey fire morning briefing, June 26, 2022. Texas Forest Service.

The weather forecast for the fire area issued at 5:55 a.m. Sunday calls for sunny skies becoming partly cloudy after 3 p.m., 100 degrees, 25 percent relative humidity, and 9 to 13 mph winds out of the west shifting to the northeast in the afternoon with gusts to 23 by 5 p.m. The variable wind direction should slow the growth to the north, but will be a challenge to firefighters as they work to remain safe as the direction of spread changes.

Dempsey Fire, satellite photo, 5:31 p.m. CDT June 25, 2022. NOAA.

Dempsey Fire Texas

Dempsey Fire burns thousands of acres west of Mineral Wells, Texas

Updated at 9:54 a.m. CDT June 25, 2022

Dempsey Fire map, 8:54 p.m. CDT June 24, 2022.

The Dempsey Fire showed extreme activity well into Friday night and only slowed down when when high humidity set in early Saturday morning. The fire jumped FM Road 4 and Fortune Bend Road, and crossed the Brazos River in multiple places.

To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Dempsey Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.

Additional dozer and engine crews have arrived on scene and began constructing and holding line early Saturday morning. Helicopters and air tankers are expected to be available to assist firefighters.

Satellite photo of smoke from the Dempsey Fire at 5:46 p.m. CDT June 24, 2022.

At 9 a.m. Saturday the Texas Forest Service was still saying the size is 6,500 acres. That could change with updated mapping.

An updated spot weather forecast from the NWS for Saturday calls for clear skies, 105 degrees, 19 percent relative humidity, and winds out of the south at 5 to 9 mph.

10:35 p.m. CDT June 24, 2022

Dempsey Fire, west of Mineral Springs, Texas — Dempsey Fire, west of Mineral Wells, Texas, June 24, 2022. Photo via Texas Forest Service.

The Dempsey Fire 6 miles west of Mineral Wells, Texas was extremely active Friday afternoon, growing to approximately 6,500 acres as the temperature soared to 106 degrees. The Texas Forest Service reported it ran to the north and northwest, jumping the Brazos River and FM Road.

Dempsey Fire location map Texas — Dempsey Fire location map, 6 miles west of Mineral Wells, TX.

Engines have been engaged in structure protection as dozers construct line along the flanks of the fire. Aircraft are assisting firefighters by cooling the head and flanks, slowing the rate of spread and buying time for the ground crews. Evacuations are in effect south of Grassy Ridge Road.

After 2 p.m. Friday the wind at the Mineral Wells Airport was out of the south and southeast at 10 to 18 mph gusting at 20 to 30 while the relative humidity was 17 percent. The spot weather forecast for Friday night calls for 7 to 12 mph winds out of the south and southeast with the humidity rising to 50 percent by dawn. On Saturday the wind will be from the south at 10 to 15 mph with 18 percent relative humidity and a high temperature of 105. These weather conditions will favor the continued spread of the fire to the north and northwest .

Dempsey Fire Texas

Mesquite Heat Fire burns 20 homes southwest of Abilene, Texas

Updated 2:02 p.m. CDT May 22, 2022

Map of the Mesquite Heat Fire in Texas. The red line was the perimeter at 9:14 p.m. May 21, 2022. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before.

The Incident Management Team on the Mesquite Heat Fire 7 miles southwest of Abilene, Texas reports that it has burned 11,256 acres. The increase is due to more accurate mapping.

Active, open flame was reported Saturday morning on the eastern side of the fire although fire intensity was low. Minimal fire behavior is expected Sunday. However, fuels remain extremely dry and could support some moderate, low intensity growth.

Fire authorities have revised the number of homes destroyed from 27 to 20, with another 7 outbuildings destroyed.

Firefighters are focusing on the uncontained firelines along the north, west, and southern edges of the fire, assisted by heavy equipment.

Saturday at 8 a.m. the Southern Area Incident Management Gold Team assumed command led by Incident Commander Dave Martin and in unified command with the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office.

Here’s what driving down HWY277 looks like after the #MesquiteHeatFire passed through. Ash everywhere, some dead wildlife, crews working to restore power. @KTABTV @KRBCnews @bigcountryhome pic.twitter.com/a2fRkTuLSv

— Mercedez Hernandez (@SadieOnTV) May 21, 2022

10:35 a.m. CDT May 21, 2022

The Mesquite Heat Fire has destroyed approximately 27 homes 7 miles southwest of Abilene, Texas. Since it started May 17 alongside Highway 277 it has burned 7 miles to the northeast, consuming 9,613 acres during extreme weather conditions — temperature of 107 degrees, 10 percent relative humidity, and winds gusting to 30 mph.

Firefighters aided by aircraft kept it from spreading significantly Friday as unburned pockets of fuel flared up in the interior. Crews continued to construct containment line along the perimeter of the fire with a heavy focus on the southern flank in preparation for the predicted winds out of the north Saturday morning.

The Southern Geographic Area Incident Management Team #2 (Gold Team) is assigned. Resources on the fire Friday evening included 15 fire engines and 1 helicopter for a total of 59 personnel.

Friday evening evacuations were still in place with limited access for Country Place South to FM 89, South of FM 1235, Hillside Rd, Denton Valley Rd, Braune Rd and CR 297.

US Highway 277 reopened Friday night. The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook, “Several guardrails are only laying on the ground and reflective striping may not be visible or still present due to fire damage.”