Firefighters Make Progress on Texas Wildfire

July 5, 2005
The fire has scorched about 1,000 acres since Saturday.

FORT DAVIS, Texas (AP) -- Firefighters battling hot, windy conditions hoped to have a lightning-ignited blaze in the Davis Mountains mostly contained by the end of the workday Tuesday.

The fire has scorched about 1,000 acres since Saturday at the Caldwell Ranch in Jeff Davis County. The incident commander declared the fire 40 percent contained by the end of the day Monday and targeted 75 percent containment by Tuesday evening, said Ron Perry, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service.

About 80 firefighters were battling the fire, which got within 4 to 5 miles of the McDonald Observatory.

''There's been no injuries, no structures lost and there have been no evacuations ordered,'' Perry said early Tuesday.

The high temperature was expected to reach 94 in the Fort Davis area on Tuesday afternoon with partly cloudy skies and a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. East winds were expected to be between 10 and 15 mph.

Texas Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopters dropped 77,000 gallons of water mixed with firefighting foam on the hottest spots of the fire Monday.

Meanwhile, crews Tuesday continued to monitor the site of a 500-acre fire on Chinati Peak south of Marfa.

The fires were among several to break out over the weekend in parched West Texas.

State and federal forestry officials warned of an extremely high fire danger throughout Texas. Drought conditions have left most of the state with severe fire danger warnings.

Outdoor burning bans were in effect in at least 105 of Texas' 254 counties. The Tarrant County Commissioners Court approved a 90-day ban on Tuesday.

''For our residents in the rural areas, we suggest that you make sure that you keep an area of about 30 feet mowed around your home and outbuildings to prevent a fire from reaching your structures,'' said Randy Renois, fire marshal for the county, which includes Fort Worth.

In national forests and grasslands in the state, fires are allowed only in gas and propane grills, lanterns, and stoves in developed recreation areas. Smoking is limited to enclosed vehicles and buildings, developed recreation sites or in 3-foot circular areas cleared of flammable material.

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