The 1148 Fire in Palo Pinto County, west of Fort Worth, was burning an estimated 500 acres as of Tuesday morning.
A map from the Texas A&M Forest Service shows the fire burning north of Farm to Market Road 1148, near Possum Kingdom Lake. Local news outlets report that the blaze has forced evacuations and destroyed multiple homes.
The Chalk Mountain Fire in Somervell County is even bigger, burning an estimated 4,000 acres near Glen Rose, southwest of Fort Worth. The American Red Cross opened a shelter for displaced residents at the Somervell County Expo Center. The city of Granbury in nearby Hood County is asking residents to be ready to evacuate as the Chalk Mountain Fire progresses.
Both fires are 10% contained as of Tuesday morning, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service’s wildfire map. The agency says the hot, dry weather is driving a worse-than-usual year for wildfires.
“Above normal fire activity is expected to continue through the summer, as hot temperatures and dry conditions are forecast to persist for much of the state,” the Texas A&M Forest Service said in a press release.
Got a tip? Email Miranda Suarez at msuarez@kera.org. You can follow Miranda on Twitter @MirandaRSuarez.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.