kcentv.com - KCEN HD - Waco, Temple, and KilleenHundreds of homes evacuated near Possum Kingdom Lake

Hundreds of homes evacuated near Possum Kingdom Lake

(KXAS) An out-of-control brush fire continues to spread for the third day near Possum Kingdom Lake, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of residents.

The wildfire, dubbed the 101 Ranch fire, is made up of mostly brush and cedar and is burning to the north and northwest in an area north of U.S. 180 on both sides of State Highway 16 just south of the lake.

The Texas Forest Service said Wednesday evening that the fire has consumed 6,200 acres, 39 homes, nine RVs and hundreds of homes remain threatened.

On Thursday morning, Tom Berglund with the TFS told NBC 5 that firefighters made good progress battling the fire overnight Wednesday and that he wasn't aware of any need for further evacuations. That could change though if wind speeds pick up again after sunrise, increasing the speed of the fire.

By sunrise, the 101 Ranch fire was still estimated to be only 30 percent contained, up from 25 percent from Wednesday afternoon.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Brazos River Authority announced that Neely Slough would be closed to all boat traffic except emergency vehicles because of the wildfire. Neely Slough is the large inlet located near The Cliffs Marina and will be patrolled by the Brazos River Authority and Texas Forest Service.

Ranch 101 Fire Breaks Out at Possum Kingdom Tuesday

The massive 101 Ranch fire has been known to jump across roadways and is estimated to have destroyed about 40 homes. The Cliffs neighborhood, where about two dozen of the damaged homes were located, was one of the few areas not hit during the wildfires that burned large portions of the Possum Kingdom Lake area in April.

"The fire itself is pretty much out of control," Palo Pinto County Sheriff Ira Mercer said Tuesday afternoon. "This fire is not something that you can battle from the ground. The flames are jumping 150 feet in the air. It's not something you can put personnel in on."

Tom Berglund of the Texas Forest Service said the vegetation is so dry that it burns explosively.

Firefighters were able to establish an anchor point overnight Tuesday from where they expanded their ground attack Wednesday. Additionally, two large aircraft carrying fire retardant attempted to cut off the fire and protect threatened homes.

Multiple fire departments are working to contain the wildfire, and several aircraft are assisting in the fight including two heavy helicopters, two air-based coordinators and six single-engine air tankers. Three strike teams of Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System engines have been requested as well.

Agencies responding to the 101 Ranch fire are the Texas Forest Service, Haltom City Fire Department, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Texas Department of Public Safety, Hurst and multiple agencies with Palo Pinto, Jack, Erath, Young and Stephens counties.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Evacuations, Road Closures and Injuries

On Wednesday, the communities near the lake known as Ranch, Harbor and Peninsula were evacuated at about 3 p.m. Up to 400 homes are threatened.

Texas Forest Service spokesman John Nichols said Wednesday night that authorities would evaluate conditions overnight to see if the people who were evacuated Wednesday could return to their homes. However, the fire is still burning in the areas that were evacuated Tuesday.

"We were fortunate today that the fire didn't jump the lake, and that would have been in the form of cinders actually coming down out of the smoke cloud on the other side of the lake and starting fires. That did not happen," he said.

Nichols said the fire backed down after heavy winds died down at about 6 p.m.

Earlier, officials closed SH16 from 180 to Farm-to-Market Road 2353. Homes in the Garland Bend neighborhood, The Cliffs and the Marina were all evacuated Tuesday.

"There was a big wall of fire coming down the main road to our development. We had a boat in the water and decided to take that across the water -- and that's what we did," said Jackie Fewell, Possum Kingdom Lake resident. "We could see it certainly burning in The Cliffs and we knew it was burning, somewhat, in Gaines Bend."

Fewell said this is the second time this year they've evacuated because of wildfires.

"This same neighborhood was really devastated in April and we felt like our home would be OK, but you're just so anxious for your friends," Fewell said. "We've got good friends that we knew who lost their home."

Kathy Lanpher, whose home in Gaines Bend burned down in April, told The Fort Worth Star-Telegram that the latest blaze chased her from her new abode, a condo in The Cliffs nearby. Lanpher said she grabbed her dog and laptop, drove to a marina on Possum Kingdom Lake and jumped on a pontoon that took her to safety. She said she was among some 50 residents who decamped to The Harbor Restaurant for the night.

"We're watching the smoke. We're right around the corner from the fire, so we can't look straight at it," she said. "We're all in good spirits, keeping our fingers crossed and saying our prayers. It's tough to go through this twice in one year."

April's massive wildfire burned about 125,000 acres in the Possum Kingdom Lake area and destroyed some 160 homes and two churches. Barbara Wright, who also evacuated for the second time this year because of Tuesday's fire, said, "God took care of us the last time. He'll do it again. It's been very sad, but we'll rebuild."

No major injuries have been reported. One person is said to have suffered minor burns and two firefighters were treated and released Tuesday night for ankle injuries.

Weather Outlook Thursday

An upper level ridge will continue to provide mostly dry weather for the majority of the state as it migrates to the east. A surface trough will continue across the Texas/Oklahoma panhandle area near the New Mexico border, helping to continue stronger winds mainly over the Texas panhandle with overall less wind for much of the rest of the state. High temperatures will range in the mid-90s to the mid-100s. Low relative humidities will range from 15 to 30 percent for areas away from the coast. The strongest winds and lowest relative humidities are expected over the panhandle and the western Red River Valley. Best chances for precipitation will be near the coast.

Texas is currently fighting the worst fire season in state history. In all, firefighters have responded to more than 20,000 fires that have burned more than 3.5 million acres since Nov. 15, 2010. As of Thursday, there are currently 14 active wildfires in the state.