Two Firefighters Injured in Texas Wildfires

Feb. 4, 2008
Two firefighters suffered burns when the flames turned on them, officials said.

SAN ANTONIO --

A Dilley volunteer firefighter was injured as he was trying to put out some of the worst wildfires to hit south Texas in recent memory.

KSAT's Simon Gutierrez reported that with the high winds the last couple days, the fires have shown they can move incredibly fast and turn on a dime.

Close to 20,000 acres have burned in nearby La Salle County, officials said, and about 2,000 more were charred in Dilley County.

By mid-afternoon, Dilley's volunteer fire department had put out both the city's wildfires.

Flames had scorched the landscape, but they didn't threaten any homes, officials said.

During the worst of it, though, three firefighters were caught in a bad spot. Two suffered burns when the flames turned on them, officials said.

"One is out of the hospital. He was released yesterday, and the other firefighter is still in the hospital," Dilley volunteer firefighter Daryl Kallio said. "We know she has a broken leg and some burns."

Six houses in La Salle County have been destroyed, dozens of others damaged and conditions are still ripe for another fire, officials said.

Gov. Rick Perry declared a statewide disaster.

He recently asked President George W. Bush to make disaster proclamation, which would make counties eligible for federal funding.

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