Burnet VFD

03/26/2024

03/15/2024

Reading Smoke – As firefighters, we can read the smoke and use it as an indicator of what is currently happening with a wildfire, as well as what might happen in the future. One specific factor we look for is the color of the smoke.

Smoke is the biproduct of whatever is burning. It can tell us the type and density of the fuels, as well as the progression of the burning process and how intense the fire might be.

White smoke is often the initial gas and water v***r being released, meaning the fire could just be starting to burn the fuels. It can also indicate a light vegetative fuel load, such as grass and small shrubs.

Black, dense smoke usually means the fuels are not being fully consumed. It can also mean manmade materials are contained in the fire, such as tires, vehicles, or structures.

Gray smoke typically means the fire is slowing down or running out of fuel to burn.

What are some other indicators you can read from smoke plumes?

02/29/2024

Wildfire Update - February 29, 2024 - 9:15 a.m.

The fire environment will be cooler today across the Texas Panhandle where multiple large fires are established. Fire activity today will not be as resistant to suppression efforts compared to Monday and Tuesday.

Active Wildfires:
- Smokehouse Creek Fire, Hutchinson County - est. 1,075,000 acres, 3% contained; *the 687 Reamer Fire has burned into the Smokehouse Creek Fire and is now included in the total acres.
- Windy Deuce Fire, Moore County - est. 142,000 acres, 30% contained
- Magenta Fire, Oldham County - est. 2,500 acres, 65% contained
- Grape Vine Creek Fire, Gray County - est. 30,000 acres, 60% contained

Contained Wildfires (100%):
- W Creek Fire, Moore County - 650 acres
- Cass 0347 Fire, Cass County - 6 acres
- Upshur 0341 Fire, Upshur County - 1.5 acres
- Nacogdoches 0343 Fire, Nacogdoches County - 1 acre
- Newton 0345 Fire, Newton County - 1.5 acres
- Orange 0346 Fire, Orange County - 80 acres

For information about active and recently contained wildfires, visit the Texas A&M Forest Service Incident Viewer: https://public.tfswildfires.com/

Frequent incident updates can be found on the Incident Information Twitter page, https://twitter.com/AllHazardsTFS

For information about the Current Wildfire Situation, visit https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/CurrentSituation

📸 A Texas A&M Forest Service dozer builds fireline on the Smokehouse Creek Fire in Hutchinson County on Feb. 27, 2024. Photo courtesy of C. Murnane. Credit: Texas A&M Forest Service.

02/28/2024

02/27/2024

Wildfire Update - February 27, 2024 - 9:30 a.m.

Yesterday, Texas A&M Forest Service responded to 13 new requests for assistance on wildfires that burned 77,135 acres across the state.

Several large wildfires ignited yesterday under warm, dry and windy conditions across the Texas Panhandle. Today, strong winds will likely impact these wildfires, causing them to grow larger. There is a possibility for wildfire activity to occur where an abundant amount of dormant grasses are present on landscape in the Texas Panhandle. There is also potential for fire activity in East Texas, the Rolling Plains and western Cross Timbers.

There are currently 63 counties with burn bans in place.

Active Wildfires:
- Juliet Pass Fire, Armstrong County - 2,963 acres, 90% contained
- Grape Vine Creek Fire, Gray County - est. 30,000 acres, 15% contained
- Smokehouse Creek Fire, Hutchinson County - est. 40,000 acres, 0% contained
- Windy Deuce Fire, Moore County - est. 4,000 acres, 5% contained
- Old Bunger Fire, Young County - 20 acres, 30% contained

Contained Wildfires (100%):
- Gravel Pit Fire, Motley County -67 acres
- Haulk Hand and Catch Fire, Randall County - 3 acres
- Cass 0315 Fire, Cass County - 5 acres
- Gregg 0323 Fire, Gregg County - 5 acres
- Upshur 0321 Fire, Upshur County - 20 acres
- Angelina 0298 Fire, Angelina County - 7.7 acres
- Nacogdoches 0318 Fire, Nacogdoches County - 33 acres
- Newton 0320 Fire, Newton County - 11.4 acres

For information about active and recently contained wildfires, visit the Texas A&M Forest Service Incident Viewer: https://public.tfswildfires.com/

Frequent incident updates can be found on the Incident Information Twitter page, https://twitter.com/AllHazardsTFS

For information about the Current Wildfire Situation, visit https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/CurrentSituation

📸 Heavy equipment works to contain the Juliet Pass Fire in Armstrong County on February 26, 2024. Photo courtesy of C. Lake. Credit: Texas A&M Forest Service.

02/26/2024

Texas A&M Forest Service has raised the Wildland Fire Preparedness Level to Level 2 due to an increase in current and expected wildfire activity. Dry conditions and above normal temperatures have resulted in areas of underlying dryness. With the addition of increased wind speeds, the fire environment is expected to support wildfire activity over the next few weeks.

Preparedness Levels 1-5 in state are planning assumptions and actions dictated by fuel and weather conditions, fire activity and fire suppression resource availability. Read more:https://ticc.tamu.edu/FireInformation/Preparedness%20Levels/WF%20Prep%20Lvl%20Handout_HztlFlyer-WIP3.pdf

Texas A&M Forest Service continues to monitor the situation and stands ready to respond to any requests for assistance.

02/25/2024

Today, the fire environment features low humidity and windy conditions in the High Plains, Trans Pecos and along the Red River as a dryline moves through the state.

Crews will continue suppression work on the North CIG Fire in Moore County today (Feb. 25). The fire is currently an estimated 2,500 acres and 50% contained. Forward progression has been stopped. Overnight, firefighters conducted several successful tactical firing operations to slow fire progression and strengthen containment lines around the fire. Dozers were utilized to establish containment lines across the fire area.

Texas A&M Forest Service is monitoring conditions and personnel are standing by to respond to any requests for assistance.

For more information on active and recently wildfires, visit tfswildfires.com/public