Copyright 2006 THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
Blazes fought in Fort Worth, Flower Mound, Colleyville, Dallas
By DEBRA DENNIS and HOLLY YAN
The Dallas Morning News (Texas)
Brittle conditions from the ongoing drought in North Texas and high winds caused wildfires to flare up again Friday, threatening structures and closing several roads.
A brush fire in North Fort Worth that could be seen for miles consumed about 75 acres and briefly shut down part of Interstate 35W near Meacham Boulevard. It closed part of the interstate and service roads in both directions Friday afternoon, but both roads reopened later.
No structures were near the fire, which was contained after burning alongside the road and in the median, said Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman Lt. Kent Worley.
Flower Mound spokesman Michael Ryan said a fire near International Parkway and Silveron Boulevard had burned about five acres Friday afternoon, but it was unknown whether any structures were threatened.
To the south, Colleyville firefighters, aided by Grapevine and Bedford crews, battled a blaze along Colleyville Boulevard near Pleasant Run Road that burned at least two acres, a city spokesman said.
The fire raged near the Village at Colleyville, the city’s shopping and business district. No structures were burned, said Mona Gandy, spokeswoman for the city.
Dallas Fire-Rescue crews fought a blaze in southern Dallas near South Buckner Boulevard and Forney Road, as well as a small fire off LBJ and Interstate 35E, but officials said both were extinguished quickly.
The National Weather Service in Fort Worth recorded winds from 18 mph to 25 mph with gusts reaching 35 mph at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on Friday. Today should provide a respite from the winds, but winds are expected to return Sunday.
Rain could fall Monday, but it will not end the drought, said Tom Kircher, a spokesman for the National Weather Service. The forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of showers.
One of the largest fires burning Friday afternoon was outside Grayson in Palo Pinto County. Helicopters were used to drop water and fire retardant on the blaze, which stretched across dozens of acres.
It took firefighters about 30 to 40 minutes Friday afternoon to extinguish a grass fire in a Wise County field in Boyd. No structures were damaged in the fire, which burned up to 20 acres, said city administrator L.D. Lopez.
Forest Service help was also requested to fight a large fire near Poolville, north of Weatherford in Parker County.
Dozens of Texas farmers and ranchers have lost property, income and livestock to wildfires that have ravaged more than 250,000 acres and 340 homes since late December.