Wildfires Burn Near Possum Kingdom Lake
Updated 8/11/12 at 5:00 p.m: The Texas Forest Service Reports the two wildfires near Possum Kingdom Lake have burned more than 2,000 acres. Linda Moon, a spokesperson for Texas Forest Service says the Dark Valley fire has burned 1,800 acres of land as of Saturday morning. The fire at Rhodes Ranch has reportedly burned 1,400 acres. Firefighters have both fires contained at 25 percent Saturday morning. So far there have been no reports of fires causing damage to buildings or any related injuries.
PALO PINTO COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) - Firefighters are facing two separate fires burning near Possum Kingdom Lake.
April Saginor, spokesperson for the Texas Forest Service says the two fires have burned more than 1,000 acres.
Saginor says the fire at the Rhodes Ranch was 15 percent contained Friday afternoon. Earlier on in the day crews reportedly had the fire 50 percent contained, but winds helped flames jump containment lines.
The second fire, located in an area known at Dark Valley has been burning since Thursday. That fire was reported to be 60 percent contained Friday afternoon.
Some areas near Possum Kingdom Lake were evacuated Friday. Other nearby residents are hoping the fires will avoid their homes.
"You don't know about a fire you don't know which way it's going to go. You think it will go one way and then the wind changes and it goes another way," said Sandra Altum, who has lived in the area for more than 60 years.
So far there have been no reports of any injuries or buildings being destroyed because of the fires.
In the spring of 2011, wildfires burned more than 150 homes near Possum Kingdom Lake.
"We've been waiting on the other shoe to drop because of the lack of rain lower humidity and high heat we are lucky in a way that it has taken so long to happen," said Mark Engebretson from the Possum Kingdom East Volunteer Fire Department.
Firefighters plan on cutting down heavily brushed areas to help prevent the fires from spreading. They are also hoping that the winds that are helping spread the fires will slow down.
