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Wildfire at Big Bend National Park is nearly 1,000 acres
A wildfire burning in Big Bend National Park is getting bigger and bigger.
The fire grew from an initial 15 acres to nearly 900 acres by Tuesday. It appears to have started at a campsite near the Laguna Meadow Trail on April 8, but the official cause is still under investigation.
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It all unfolded on Twitter. The first report of smoke was published around 2 p.m. April 8.
Minutes later, campers and backpackers were evacuated from certain areas.
The Big Bend National Park’s official Twitter account has been providing periodic updates, including these views of smoke from the fire.
There are nearly 90 firefighters coordinating how to contain the wildfire. While the size is nearly 900 acres, nearly 2/3 of the fire is now in areas with too rough of terrain to burn.
Still, crews will be on the ground and in the air dumping water and moving dirt to try and contain the fire and mitigate any damage.
“It takes a team to fight a fire,” Deputy Superintendent David Elkowitz said in a press release. “I can’t thank this team enough for the amazing efforts of our firefighters, partners, support personnel, and community members.”
While the fire might be alarming, wildfires are a natural part of keeping the land healthy. The national parks service says much of the area that is burning has not been on fire for nearly 70 years.
Many areas of Big Bend National Park remain closed to visitors.