4,200-acre wildfire by Huntsville may burn several more days

A massive Walker County wildfire that ignited Friday afternoon is now 40 percent contained, but it may take several more days before it’s completely extinguished, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. Officials are currently monitoring the weather to see if winds and dry conditions will be a threat and stoke the flames. 

Per the agency’s latest report, firefighters are using bulldozers and applying flame retardants by plane to suppress the fire. As of about noon on Sunday, the report estimates it will take until Friday, Sept. 8, before the spread of the fire is stopped. 

Dubbed the Game Preserve Fire, the blaze started on Lost Indian Camp Road, off State Highway 247, about nine miles northwest of Huntsville. The cause is undetermined, but within hours, it consumed more than 1,000 acres and prompted road closures and evacuation orders, which have since been lifted. As of Sunday morning, Texas A&M Forest Service wrote on social media that the wildfire had reached an estimated 4,254 acres.

While aviation and ground crews worked to contain the fire Saturday night, the Walker County Office of Emergency Management posted on Facebook that none of the homes in the affected neighborhoods had been lost. “All evacuated areas have been released to return to their homes. Power is being restored to the areas affected. All roads are back open however BE VERY CAUTIOUS in the affected area. Look for falling trees over the next few weeks,” Walker County emergency officials wrote online at 9 a.m. Sunday. 

Daniel Patterson, spokesperson for the Texas A&M Forest Service, also provided an update Saturday. He told reporters with KHOU 11 that there were no reports of injuries from civilians or firefighters. Texas is also receiving assistance from the Florida Forest Service. A temporary flight restriction is in place to allow firefighting aircrafts space to work, per Federal Aviation Administration records. 

On Friday, in anticipation of more wildfires over Labor Day weekend, Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas A&M Forest Service to open the Austin Airtanker Base at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. According to the announcement from his office, the base is the only one in the state equipped to accommodate a DC-10 firefighting airtanker of its size and will serve as a reloading station.

“Texas has activated the Austin Airtanker Base to further assist our brave firefighters and emergency response personnel throughout the state and protect Texans from these wildfires,” Abbott said in the news release. “Additional resources through this airtanker base will provide even greater support to state and local officials as they swiftly respond. With triple-digit heat forecasted for this Labor Day weekend, I urge Texans to remain weather-aware and limit any activities that may cause sparks or flames that could lead to accidental fires. I thank our heroic first responders who continue to selflessly serve and protect their fellow Texans from these devastating wildfires.”

Per Abbott’s statement on Friday, state and local officials have responded to about 2,125 wildfires since June 28. More than 89,700 acres have been burned. On Sunday, Texas A&M Forest Service posted online to report 12 more wildfires and 100 additional acres burned.