PALO PINTO -- Two fires in Palo Pinto County have burned at least 3,600 acres since they started earlier in the week, and both fires are about 25 percent contained, Patrick Allen, spokesman for the Texas Forest Service, said today.
The Rhodes Ranch fire started Wednesday near U.S. 180, just east of the town of Palo Pinto. On Thursday, the Dark Valley fire started near Texas 16 and Texas 254 near Possum Kingdom Lake, where wildfires last year charred 126,734 acres and destroyed 168 homes, two churches and 128 outbuildings before they were contained.Allen said the Rhodes Ranch fire has burned 1,700 acres and the Dark Valley fire has burned 1,900, but no structures have been lost and no injuries have been reported."The weather held today and luckily as the day progressed we were able to get other resources from the state and local level," Allen said.Allen said 13 area fire departments from neighboring communities are helping the Texas Forest Service battle the blaze."We've been lucky, we've had adequate resources so we can rotate firefighters and give them adequate breaks," he said. "We've also had great donations from the community ... food and water, Gatorade, even toothbrushes."Allen said Sunday could be more challenging because a weather disturbance is expected to cause sporadic winds.Susan McFarland, 817-390-7684Twitter: @susanmcfarland1Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
