|
COMANCHE -- High southerly winds and
tinder dry vegetation were ignited on the southwest side of Comanche
around 3:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon, July 30, and burned approximately
2,000 acres that afternoon and evening. The large smoke cloud could be
seen for many miles, including most of the DeLeon area and beyond.
 The
fire was apparently started from a cigarette discarded on the west
side of Highway 67/377 about three miles past the city limits. From
there it rapidly advanced northward through the brush and grassland on
the Dudley Ranch, across the railroad and Highway 1689 before being
largely contained when it reached CR 103.
A total of 12 homes were threatened with
destruction and 25 homes were evacuated. No structures were lost to
the fire, despite flames surrounding some on all sides. A herd of
dairy cattle were moved across CR 103 to escape the flames.
A total of 19 area volunteer fire
departments and the Texas Forest Service joined forces to control the
conflagration. Two Texas Forest Service helicopters and two road
graders were brought into the area. They joined the many brush fire
trucks, dozers and heavy farm equipment being used to create fire
breaks and otherwise hamper the advance of the fire. Many area law
enforcement officers aided as well in controlling and limiting traffic
in the affected areas.
Even after the worst of the fires had
been controlled in the early evening, fire fighters remained vigilant
in the area throughout the evening.
Around noon on the following Monday,
southerly winds picked up and rekindled the flames. The Monday fire
seemed to make its primary advance on the eastern flank of the area
burned in the previous afternoon, with a strong fire line advancing
southeastward against the wind. The fire managed to cross CR 103,
however vigorous fire fighting both on the ground and from above,
contained it to a relatively small area.
Although the DeLeon VFD had not been
called on Sunday, when things got hot on Monday they were requested to
join several departments already on the scene. The DeLeon firefighters
sent a strong force of firemen and equipment. By late Monday afternoon
they were released to return to the station. There were no injuries or
serious equipment damage reported.
The Texas Forest Service estimated that
an additional 500 acres were consumed in the Monday fire. Comanche
County remains in extreme fire danger and under a total ban on all
outdoor burning, trash fires included. |
