By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Montague County was placed under a burn ban on Wednesday morning as dry conditions and high winds continued to fuel grass fires of all sizes across the area.
County Judge Kevin Benton issued the emergency ban at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday after a large wildfire on Tuesday in the area of Upper Montague Road, Allison and Legacy Roads and State Highway 59 covered nearly 250 acres. Nearly 20 fire departments and law enforcement agencies responded.
The fire began around 2 p.m. Tuesday as Bowie Rural responded to a call on Legacy Lane near Allison Road. The fire quickly spread in the heavily wooded area. Heavy black smoke and fire neared the highway at several spots.
At one point the west side of Hwy. 59 at Allison was being evacuated. Highway 59 was closed early afternoon at Mac’s Grocery Road and near Montague on the north end of the highway.
Randall Preuninger, chief of the Bowie Rural Volunteer Fire Department, said the Legacy Road fire was finally contained about 5 p.m. Tuesday after it burned across 240 acres. The Forest Service update states there were three direct property saves, one unoccupied structure and two outbuildings lost.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.