The Chalk Mountain Fire continues to blaze 45 miles from Fort Worth, having burned around 4,000 acres as of July 19.
The wildfire burning in Somervell County is 10% contained, according to NBC 5. It is in the area between Chalk Mountain and Dinosaur Valley State Park.
At least 12 structures are thought to have been destroyed so far. There is currently a Red Flag Fire Warning due to drought conditions.
Adam Turner, a Texas A&M Forest Service spokesperson, reported to the Associated Press that the Chalk Mountain Wildfire had not caused any injuries so far, adding that drought conditions and high heat have contributed to this and other recent fires in Texas.
“We are experiencing dry fuels to a level that we haven’t seen in the past 10 years,” he said. “Any spark that lands in tall grass or even lands in some short grass right now is liable to spark.”
The cause of the Chalk Mountain Fire is unknown, according to Turner, but it is not believed to be intentional. Residents near the fire have been asked to evacuate voluntarily.
The Somervell County Sheriff’s Office stated there is poor visibility in the area.
“Please be aware of emergency vehicles in the area, and please stay off the roads and out of the way as they fight this fire,” the office urged.
Mary Leathers, another Texas A&M Forest Service spokesperson, said the current weather conditions in Texas have made it more challenging to contain the Chalk Mountain Wildfire.
“The bad news is, the weather that we have today, we’re going to see for the next several days, so that makes containing the fire a little difficult,” she said, “but we’re going to keep at it, and each day we’re going to get a little more containment on it.”
Meanwhile, multiple firefighters have been treated for heat-related illnesses.
Several new wildfires were reported on July 18 in North, East, and Central Texas, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. Firefighters are expected to continue fighting wildfires into the weekend.
“Areas of concern include the eastern Rolling Plains, Cross Timbers, Central Texas, North Texas near the Waco and Dallas-Fort Worth areas, and south along the I-35 corridor near the Capital region,” Texas A&M stated in a July 19 update. “The risk for significant fires is also expanding east to include portions of East Texas, including areas near Palestine, Crockett, Huntsville, Tyler, and Marshall.”
In addition to the Chalk Mountain Fire, other active wildfires include the Honey Creek Fire and the King Creek Fire. The Herd Fire, Los Establos Fire, and Fence Line Fire were recently contained, the Texas A&M Forest Service reported.
The 1148 Fire in Palo Pinto County has led to residents being evacuated from Possum Kingdom Lake. The fire is 10% contained and has burned around 500 acres.
Thirty-eight aircraft are currently staged for wildfire response in Texas.
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