Alto Fire Contained

CHEROKEE COUNTY — A wildfire west of Alto that forced the closure of state Highway 294 and burned about 1,700 acres was contained Monday morning, a Texas Forest Service official said. Texas Forest Service information officer Warren Bielenberg said the fire, which was reported at around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, is burning in grass and timber. “They have a line around it, but if we have a big wind event and it blows up, then there is a possibility that it could escape the containment lines,” Bielenberg said. Texas Forest Service responded to 19 new fires on Sunday for 1,099 acres, including new large fires in Harrison and Rusk counties. In the past seven days, Texas Forest Service has responded to 141 fires for 34,933 acres.