Firefighters battle fast-moving blazes

Local firefighters answered a call to a wildfire in what could have turned into a much worse scenario had they not brought the blaze under control.

Though no homes or buildings were destroyed, one Hereford firefighter was injured when he fell. He was transported by EMS to Hereford Regional Hospital and is reported to be “okay.”

According to Castro County

Sheriff Sal Rivera, the Sheriff’s Office dispatch received 12 911 calls around 12:52 p.m. on Monday, reporting a fire north of Dimmitt on Hwy 385.

Multiple units from the Dimmitt Fire Department responded immediately and requested assistance from area fire departments. Dimmitt Fire Department was joined by Nazareth VFD and Hereford Fire Department as well as the Castro County Sheriff’s Of fice, Texas DPS and EMS. Deaf Smith Electric Coop also sent crews out to assess and repair any damage to utility poles and electric wires.

Upon arrival, firefighters found themselves challenged with not just one, but at least three different fires, said Rivera.

With dry conditions and some wind, the blaze was moving quickly east to southeast, with fires on both sides of FM 2397, threatening two homes, other structures in the area, as well as some livestock.

Farmers in the area also arrived with tractors and equipment to disc up tall grass and plow fire breaks to cut off the spread the approaching fire and help protect homes.

Firefighters got the blaze under control between 4-5 p.m. Rivera said though the exact

Rivera said though the exact cause of the fires is unknown, it is possible they have been started by overheated brakes or something dragging that sparked and ignited the fires along the highway.

Rivera said conditions remain prime for wildfire season and citizens should be careful and remain vigilant.

“Even though there was moisture from the last snow we received, high winds have dried up most of the moisture. Conditions are still very dry, and fires can spread very rapidly,” said Rivera. “Please do not throw out cigarettes out of vehicle windows and no outdoor burning. And check to see that all equipment is properly maintained.”

As a reminder of how dangerous wildfires can be, in 2017 fires in the Texas Panhandle consumed about a half million acres killed four people and hundreds of cattle and livestock. It only takes one spark to set off a huge disaster.

According to a list created from data at the Insurance Information Institute’s study on the number of acres burned by wildfires and the National Centers for Environmental Information statistics on property damage, Texas ranks second in the nation as the most dangerous state for wildfires, with California taking the lead.

According to that data, Texas wildfires burned 735,682 acres of land in 2017 and caused more than $25 million in property damage, putting Texas at No. 2 for property damage and No. 4 for acres burned.

In 2020, there were 902 wildfires that burned 10,994 acres that were the result of debris burning. State and local resources responded to 3,330 fires by the end of August that burned a total of 171,204 acres.

Texas A&M Forest Service spent much of January 2022 readying firefighting resources in anticipation of an increase in wildfire activity. The fire environment will include elevated to critical fire weather, with above normal temperatures and wind speeds near 20 mph in conjunction with freezecured grasses. The combination will support increased wildfire activity.

More recently, forecast fire danger has been ‘high to very high’ for portions of the Rolling Plains, South Plains and Cross Timber regions, and specifically for areas around Plainview.

From the morning of Jan. 14 to Jan. 18, state and local firefighters, including Texas A&M Forest Service and Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System, responded to 97 wildfires for an estimated 7,460 acres burned.

For current conditions and wildfire outlook, visit the Texas Fire Potential Outlook at https://bit.ly/3kemhbG. It is updated weekly for conditions in Texas.