TERRELL, Texas — UPDATE [8:24 p.m.] — Firefighters from three counties are back at the scene of a large mulch pile fire in northern Kaufman County after the fire re-ignited.
TERRELL, Texas — UPDATE [8:24 p.m.] — Firefighters from three counties are back at the scene of a large mulch pile fire in northern Kaufman County after the fire re-ignited.
Kaufman County Fire Marshal, in an update to inForney.com just before 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, says firefighters have been forced to close a portion of County Road 245, between the 16500 block to the 17000 block, for fire operations. Because there is no access to fire hydrants in the area, at least eight tankers are running water to dump tanks that are pumping into an aerial apparatus from the Forney Fire Department.
In addition to the departments who responded Sunday morning, Richards says the South Tawakoni Volunteer Fire Department and the Royse City Fire Department have also deployed assets for mutual aid.
As of the update Sunday afternoon from Howie, the fire had been contained to one large mulch pile, about an acre in size. Richards says the fire has now spread to three large mulch piles on the property.
After the fire was extinguished earlier today, the scene was turned over to the property owner for fire watch.
This is a developing story.
ORIGINAL [2:28 p.m.] — Multiple fire departments and local and state agencies are working a large mulch pile fire in northern Kaufman County — which is expected to burn, at minimum, for several more hours and possibly overnight.
The fire was initially called in around 10 a.m. off County Road 245 near Club Lake in the Poetry and north Terrell area.
As of a 2 p.m. update, Kaufman County Emergency Management Coordinator Steve Howie tells inForney.com the fire is currently burning an approximate 20-foot tall mulch pile that is about three-quarters to an acre in size.
Firefighters main concern is containment of the fire and preventing the spread to an approximate 20 acres of similarly-sized mulch piles.
Howie says the fire, as of about 2 p.m., wasn't burning as active as it was this morning but it continues to openly burn.
According to Howie, there are about 50 to 60 firefighters on scene from the Terrell Volunteer Fire Department, Ables Springs Volunteer Fire Department, Elmo Volunteer Fire Department, College Mound Volunteer Fire Department, Union Valley Volunteer Fire Department, Kaufman Fire Department, and Forney Fire Department.
The Kaufman County Office of Emergency Management, Kaufman County Fire Marshal's Office, Kaufman County Sheriff's Office, and Precinct 1 and Precinct 3 Road and Bridge crews are also on scene.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is also enroute to conduct air monitoring and check compliance of the mulch operation.
The National Weather Service in Fort Worth, Texas, is also providing weather updates to firefighters on scene to forecast potential changes in fire behavior due to weather conditions.
The Kaufman County Sheriff's Office also deployed a drone to assist with fire operations.
Fire Marshals are investigating the cause of the fire.