Florida Forest Service assists firefighters battling Game Preserve fire north of Huntsville
Walker County wildfire day 3: Florida Forest Service assists firefighters battling Game Preserve fire north of Huntsville KTRK-TV
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WALKER COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) —
The Florida Forest Service is assisting Texas firefighters as they enter day three of battling the Game Preserve fire north of Huntsville in Walker County.
Current Status
As of Sunday morning, the wildfire is 40% contained after burning 4,256 acres of a wooded area just off FM-247, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
Assistance from Florida Forest Service
Lela Braunsch, with the Florida Forest Service’s Incident Management Team, told Eyewitness News the fire grew to 4,256 acres since its last update Saturday at 8:51 p.m., when it was 4,254 acres.
Goal of Forest Services
The forest services said its goal is to slow the spread of flames as much as possible.
Evacuation Order Lifted
Braunsch said officials are lifting the voluntary evacuation order that was encouraged for everyone within three miles of Lost Indian Camp Road.
Roads Reopened
Officials said residents of Pinedale, Cedar Ridge subdivision, Brimberry Road, and Brand for Christ Church can now return to their homes.
Several roads that were closed are now open, including FM-247 between Pinedale, FM-2989, and the I-45 feeder between FM-1696 and FM-2989.
Weather Conditions
“Be aware. Be cautious. We are monitoring the weather. There is expected rain this afternoon, too, so that could pick up a little dust,” Braunsch said. “If the weather changes or that fire picks up, and we start seeing smoke on the roads, we will shut the roads back down. So be aware of that.”
Fire Risk
The Texas A&M Forest Service told Eyewitness News that the weather conditions affected the fire risk in this area.
“It really is extreme drought in these places, and that has everything to do with the flammability of the forest. When the fire gets started, it’s going to grow, it’s going to move, it’s going to go up into the upper canopy of the trees. Fire conditions are red hot right now, and that’s why we want everybody to be very careful with anything that could put off sparks or be hot or have flame outside. Please just don’t do it right now,” Daniel Patterson, with the forest service, said.
Firefighters on the Ground
Patterson said there are more than a hundred firefighters on the ground, working to try and control these flames.
Previous Wildfires
Statewide 3 largest wildfires in 2023:
- Bent Willow Fire, Potter County: started April 4 and burned 8,118 acres
- Campbell Fire, Archer County: started Aug. 11 and burned 8,000 acres
- Big Fin Flats Fire, Oldham County: started Feb. 26 and burned 5,569
Current Wildfires in East Texas
East Texas 3 largest wildfires in 2023:
- Game Preserve Fire, Walker County: started Sept. 1 and burned (as of Sept. 3) 4,254 acres
- Shearwood Creek Fire, Jasper County: started Aug. 24 and burned 3,562 acres
- Clear Lake Fire, Panola County; started Aug. 20 and burned 771 acres
Historical Fire Data
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