Dangerous East Texas Fires

EAST TEXAS — Texas firefighters have been trying to contain an 18,000-acre wildfire that has destroyed two homes and at least four trailers in East Texas. According to KETK, Texas Forest Service spokesman Richard Reuse said Sunday that there were currently no evacuations ordered. He says the fire is about 40 percent contained, but added that that could quickly drop with the windy, hot conditions. Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Rae Brooks says the fire started after noon Friday in the Davy Crockett National Forest west of Lufkin. Brooks says the fire is being called the “Bearing Fire” and is the largest wildfire ever in East Texas. Reuse says such large wildfires are unusual in forested East Texas. Most of Texas is under a red flag warning, which means there is an extreme risk of fire.

In other parts of East Texas, firefighters and Texas Forest Service officials responded two wildfires in Harrison County that burned a little more than 10 acres and another in Upshur County that burned 86 acres. Upshur County volunteers and Texas Forest Service firefighters battled the blaze, which started from an electrical spark from an oil pump jack, into Saturday evening, officials said. About 10 homes were evacuated as the fire near Kieffer Road in Upshur County between Texas 300 and Spur 502 spread in record-breaking heat Saturday afternoon.

Assistance was sent to help manage the blaze from several departments, including firefighters from Longview Fire Department who fought the fire for about four hours, according to Fire Marshal Johnny Zackary. There were also two wildfires reported in Harrison County that caused a total of 12 acres worth of damage, Brooks said.