300 Acres Burned Near Tuscola
By: Import User
Updated: March 5, 2009
5:00 p.m. UpdateThe fire is 100 percent contained, according to Greg Goettch with the Abilene Fire Department. 300 acres have been consumed. One of the two structures lost was the old Cedar Gap School.
Lawn Baptist Church in Lawn, Texas has opened the Family Life Center for any families that need housing during the time they are evacuated from their homes.
4:05 p.m. Update:
One person has been arrested for disobeying firefighters. Additional information is being gathered.
3:45 p.m. Update:
100 acres and three structures are now lost. Highways 83 and 84 are closed in that area.
3:15 p.m. Update:
With the grass fire threatening 70 homes in the area north of the 84/84 split, evacuations are now underway.
So far the fast-moving fire has burned two structures and 50 acres and is being pushed northward by wind gusts up to 32 miles per hour and a relative humidity level of 26 percent.
Fifteen local agencies and the Texas Forest Service are on the scene. The TFS has responded with two helicopters, one plane and several dozers.
2:30 p.m. Update:
A major grass fire is burning right now near Tuscola and has spread to at least one structure.
Crews have slowed traffic along 83/84 and shutdown traffic on County Road 154.
Live video from the scene shows firefighters from multiple agencies, a large traffic back-up and a raging fire at one building.
