Mandatory evacuations in effect due to wildfire in Palo Pinto County
PALO PINTO COUNTY (CBSNewsTexas.com) — A large and growing wildfire in Palo Pinto County is forcing people out of their homes.
The Gaines Bend, Sportsman's World, and Hell's Gates communities near Possum Kingdom Lake are all under mandatory evacuation orders because of the dubbed "Storage Fire" that started burning Wednesday night.
It has since grown to 1,000 acres and is 30% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
Update: the #StorageFire in Palo Pinto County remains an estimated 1,000 acres and 30% contained. Fire activity has diminished after retardant drops from aircraft. Dozer crews have reengaged in building fireline along the flanks of the fire. #txfire pic.twitter.com/qgDnkOzb5d
— Incident Information - Texas A&M Forest Service (@AllHazardsTFS) June 30, 2023
"As this fire has gotten bigger, we are concerned about weather conditions throughout the rest of the day and into tomorrow," said Texas Forest Service spokesperson Adam Turner. "We don't have the confidence that fire will stay where it is like we did previously."
The Texas Forest Service said its ultimate goal is to protect people and property, and that evacuations can help firefighters focus on that.