The Abilene Reporter-News
DICKENS COUNTY, Texas — TFS spokeswoman Punky Moore said the call came into the command post in Merkel in the early afternoon, and resources were quickly dispatched — in some cases pulled from the 65,000-acre Dickens County Fire near Lubbock — to help battle the blaze.
At least three single engine air tanker aircraft, an air attack spotter plane and two helicopter tankers were used, flying low through thick smoke to drop load after load of retardant and water on the gas plant facilities.
A parking area near the plant was initially the site of the firefighters command post, but as flames continued to encroach — fueled by strong southwesterly winds — they were forced to pull back in fear the gas plant would explode.
Moore said an additional 20 homes were along the fire’s path, which forced firefighters to aggressively attack the head of the fire, which was moving northeast through uneven terrain and dense, dry fuel.
Around 8 p.m., the winds began to die down, and relative humidity began to rise as the temperature dropped slightly. Even as the aerial resources were forced to leave the area with the fading light, crews left the plant and headed to join other firefighters working the head of the fire.
“We had a very quick response today. Resources were dispatched and redirected to that incident very quickly, and that helped efforts immensely to have all those resources — on the ground and in the air, on scene so fast,” Moore said. Aerial reconnaissance of the fire, to see just how effective they had been, would have to wait until today, however.
“We’ll see (today) if their efforts hold,” Moore said.
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