COUNTY LIFE
Grass fire burns nearly 500 acres in Nocona Hills area; residents evacuated for short period
A fast-moving wildfire sparked Sunday afternoon near Nocona Hills threatening hundreds of homes in the Lake Nocona area and forcing evacuations from homes in the path of the fire.
Wildfires across the state of Texas this past weekend caused death and destruction in their paths fueled by drought conditions, low humidity and high winds. Sunday was deemed a red flag day for high fire conditions.
The Texas A&M Forest Service reported in total as of Friday agency firefighters worked on 13 wildfires for more than 71,074 acres.
In Montague County, the fire call came in at 2:18 p.m. for Nocona Rural Volunteer Fire Department and the Nocona Hills VFD for a fire on Nocona Drive in Nocona Hills, northeast of Nocona.
Nocona Rural Chief Rusty Henley said while en route they saw a large column of smoke and immediately requested the next closest department, Saint Jo VFD to respond.
On arrival, firefighters found a fast-moving fire in grass and heavy brush with multiple structures threatened. Henley noted the weather was 79 degrees, 16% relative humidity and falling and winds at 15 to 33 mph.
“Units began making direct fire attack where possible,” said Henley, “in an effort to stop the fire at the next road, Shady Grove Road. Extreme fire behavior, including long-range spotting and crowning were observed. A countywide request was made for other departments to assist.”
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Nocona volunteer firefighters diligently continue their efforts to get a truck fully geared up for their newest fire station at Lake Nocona with hopes it could be ready to roll early in the new year.
At a recent rural fire department monthly meeting members were working on the truck and sorting miles of fire hose that will go on Engine 331. The Eagle Point Fire Station is located on the west side of Lake Nocona and has been a work in progress for a little more than two years by the city and rural Nocona firefighters. The departments each station in downtown Nocona, and the rural department has a building with a brush truck at Spanish Fort.
Billy Henley, rural chief and volunteer firefighter for more than 50 years, said their efforts to expand service began about in 2020 and 2021 after the Nocona Lake Estates Fire Department disbanded.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
The Bowie News salutes our Hometown Heroes. All the first responders who handle radio calls, man the ambulances, solve crime and run into the fire. Many of these folks are volunteers protecting their community. Find photos of every law enforcement agency and fire department in the Hometown Heroes
It was a clean-out and throw-out Saturday in Bowie. Members of the Bowie Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors unloaded items for the shredder hosted for the annual Shred-A-Thon. Box after box of paper were securely destroyed by the giant shredder truck. Members of the chamber board and volunteers helped unloaded boxes when vehicles pulled up. (News photos by Barbara Green)
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