Mandatory evacuations underway in Palo Pinto County as wildfire burns 1,000 acres

Mandatory evacuations are underway in Palo Pinto County, where a wildfire has burned up 1,000 acres of land with 30% containment near Possum Kingdom Lake, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

The orders for mandatory evacuation are in place for Gaines Bend, Hells Gate and Sportsman World as the fire actively moves toward Gaines Bend, threatening more than 150 homes, the forest service warned Thursday evening. The evacuation order remained in effect Friday after overnight efforts to construct a fire line for containment.

The fire remained at 1,000 acres and 30% containment Friday morning.

Residents of those areas being evacuated are cautioned to remember the “5 P’s” of evacuation: people, pets, (important) papers, priceless items and personal items. Evacuees are advised to take all of those with them along with anything they will need for 48 hours away from home.

The fire service said in a news release that when people evacuate their homes in time, crews can focus efforts on saving property.

When people ignore evacuation orders issued in response to wildfires, it can endanger the unevacuated residents and the firefighters who are trying to save them, as well as make it more difficult for crews to primarily work on preventing the fire from destroying homes and other property.

A shelter has been set up at First Baptist Church of Possum Kingdom, 13461 N. Highway 16 in Graford. On Friday morning, no residents were using the shelter yet. Officials said many were likely staying with family, or their houses near the lake are vacation homes that they aren’t currently using.

Ricky Hunter, director of the Palo Pinto Office of Emergency Management, said Friday that while crews made good progress in fighting and containing the fire overnight, it’s important to observe the evacuation order that is still in effect. Anybody who doesn’t leave the area under the order not only puts themselves and first responders in increased danger, they risk being cut off from help entirely.

“We might not be able to get to them or they may not be able to get out if they don’t leave now,” Hunter said. “There’s limited access to these areas, so if the fire cuts that access off, we may not have the ability to get residents out and to safety later on.”

The fire, which started Wednesday in the same area where last year a blaze tore through 1,500 acres and threatened homes, is showing “extreme behavior” as a result of wind speeds across the fire area, the forest service said. It spurred an order Thursday from Gov. Greg Abbott, sending state firefighters to support local authorities.

Local authorities called for the forest service’s assistance around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, when the fire, since dubbed the Storage Fire, had spread to 200 acres and was 0% contained. By 3:40 p.m. Thursday it tore through 600 acres. Less than two hours later, it was up to 1,000 acres.

At around 8:30 p.m. Thursday, the Texas A&M Forest and Fire Service issued a Temporary Flight Restriction to provide a “safe environment for firefighting aircraft.”

Fire activity diminished after retardant was dropped from aircraft, authorities said in an update at 9:15 p.m. Thursday.

The blaze started west of State Highway 16 and just north of U.S. Highway 180. Bulldozers began digging a fire line for containment and by 10 p.m. Wednesday had achieved 20% containment of the fire with 450 acres lost. Overnight, fire crews conducted tactical burning to further strengthen the fire line.

By 7:20 a.m. Thursday, firefighters managed to reach 40% containment of the then-511 acre fire. But because of high wind speeds in the area and despite aerial resources that have been brought in to assist with fighting the blaze, the affected area has continued to grow and dropped down to 30% containment.

The fire service released an aerial photograph around 3:40 p.m. Thursday that showed a massive area scorched and turned white and gray by the fire intersected by roads the flames have jumped. Large plumes of smoke were rising from at least two areas.

Abbott’s order for state assistance has seen the deployment of more than 15 personnel, aerial resources for firefighting and heavy equipment such as bulldozers, according to a news release. An additional two crews, numbering 30 firefighters, have been deployed from the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System. They’ll come with 10 fire engines and a water tender.

The Texas National Guard has also been sent with 15 personnel and Blackhawk military helicopters equipped with fire suppression capabilities.

The news release from Abbott’s office said that excessive heat over the past two weeks has left swaths of North, Central, Southeast, Southwest and South Texas with wilting, dry grass that makes for dangerous fire conditions.

The governor has also raised the Wildland Fire Preparedness Level to Level 2, according to the news release.

Last year, the wildfire in Palo Pinto County dubbed the Lazy Fire burned up 1,500 acres and threatened but didn’t damage homes in the Possum Kingdom Lake area. That fire led to authorities shutting down Texas 16 at U.S. Highway 180 in the county as thick juniper fueled the blaze.

The area is no stranger to devastating fires and evacuations.

In addition to the fire last year, the Possum Kingdom Lake subdivision The Cliffs was ravaged by a fire in 2011. Named the 101 Ranch Fire, it left the rubble of 39 homes in its wake.

One of those property owners, Larry Anderson, told the Star-Telegram in 2011 that he barely escaped the flames that burned up more than 6,500 acres with his life.

“There’s a lot of devastation out there,” Anderson said at the time. “There’s 200-year-old trees gone. It’s not a pretty sight.”

State and local officials are especially worried about the conditions throughout Texas that are conducive to wildfires heading into the July 4 holiday. The dry, hot conditions make accidental ignition of uncontrolled blazes from fireworks and other celebratory activities more likely.

Texans are encouraged to limit activities that could cause sparks for accidental fire ignition and to make an emergency plan and keep emergency supplies on hand.

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