Firefighters continue to battle wildfire in Stephens County as hot, dry conditions persist
By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
The Bufford Creek Fire in northeastern Stephens County was listed as 90% contained earlier today, Tuesday, Aug. 11, but at 4:51 p.m., the Texas A&M Forest Service reported that the fire has grown from 3,000 acres burned (as reported early this morning) to 3,150 acres burned and is only 75% contained. The Breckenridge Texan will continue to monitor the status of the fire and provide updates as they are available.
Local and area firefighters, as well as the Texas Forest Service, are on the scene, battling the wildfire on the ground and from the air.
A Texas A&M Forest Service helicopter carries water to the wildfire burning in northeastern Stephens County on Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 11. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The fire started Monday afternoon on State Highway 67, about five miles north of U.S. Highway 180. According to the TFS, the fire burned dry grass, oak and juniper, “producing periods of moderate to high resistance to control with ground crews observing torching and short-range spotting.”
The Texas Forest Service Incident Viewer shows that there are currently nine wildfires active in Texas, with the others being in Pecos, Lampasas, Burnet (2), Brooks, Hunt, Rusk and San Augustine counties. The Incident Viewer is updated constantly, and new fires have been added all day long.
The TFS reports on Facebook that weather and land conditions are going to get worse for wildfire danger as the weekend approaches, explaining that “hot and mostly dry conditions are expected through the weekend and into the middle of next week, likely increasing the rate of wildfire activity through the middle of August.”
Stephens County is under a fire ban, which was first issued on June 22 and bans all outdoor burning, except for a few outdoor burning activities related to public health and safety that are authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
In the adjacent Palo Pinto County, a Fire Emergency Declaration and Phase 2 Burn Ban for all unincorporated areas of Palo Pinto County has been issued, according to the Palo Pinto County Emergency Services District #1. The Phase 2 Burn Ban goes beyond a traditional burn ban, restricting outdoor activities such as welding, cutting and grinding, unless the required fire prevention measures outlined in the county order are followed, as well as other outdoor burning, including brush and tree piles; sky lanterns; discarding cigarettes or other flammable materials in a manner that could start a fire; and any other outdoor activities involving combustible materials that could result in a fire.
In Palo Pinto County, welding, cutting and grinding are subject to additional requirements, including vegetation clearance, wetting the work area, wind-speed restrictions, a dedicated fire watch and required fire suppression equipment. Barbecue equipment used strictly for cooking remains permitted.
The National Weather Service shows a Stephens County forecast of daily highs at 100 degrees – or higher – for the next week. No rain is currently predicted.
Take a look at a short video of the Texas Forest Service’s helicopter helping to fight the fire on the Breckenridge Texan’s YouTube channel:
Breckenridge Fire Chief/Stephens County Fire Marshal Malcolm Bufkin monitors the wildfire situation on State Highway 67 on Monday afternoon, Aug. 10. The fire was mostly out by Tuesday morning, but has flared back up again this afternoon. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: A Texas Forest Service helicopter drops water on the wildfire in northeast Stephens County early Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 11. The helicopter was scooping up the water from a nearby source and dropping the water on the fire as firefighters on the ground rushed to the scene. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
