Officials warn of fire danger

EAST TEXAS — High winds and dry conditions have been making it unsafe to do outside burning or ignite fireworks in East Texas, fire officials say. “We are asking people to voluntarily refrain from doing any outdoor burning or shooting fireworks,” said a statement from the Smith County Fire Marshal’s office. “The relative humidity is dropping…Combined with the high winds, this is a recipe for disaster.” Winds were expected to die down late Sunday and Monday, but officials still urge residents to exercise caution.

A Rusk County family lost their home on Christmas day when a trash fire got out of control and set their house on fire, according to our news partner KETK. “Thankfully all members of the family and pets made it safely out of the home,” said information posted by the Crims Chapel Volunteer Fire Department. Firefighters from throughout northern Smith County on Friday battled a fire that heavily damaged a house on County Road 3147 in Smith County’s Red Springs community. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. There were no initial reports of injuries.