Firefighters from multiple counties and cities have contained a 10-acre grass fire in the unincorporated Dallas County community of Sand Branch — a historic freedman's town that doesn't have running water.
Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to the fire Saturday around 10:30 p.m. after a mutual aid request from Dallas County Fire Rescue, DFR said in a statement Sunday evening. Suppression and containment efforts went on throughout the entire night and will continue into Monday evening, DFR said.
Two structures were damaged in the fire, DFR said.
The fire was contained to multiple brush, trash and debris piles by Sunday night, according to the department. Firefighters used an excavator to dig through piles and expose hot spots. Another firefighter on an aerial ladder then used a water hose to extinguish those hot spots.
Water was mostly supplied by Dallas and water tankers from surrounding counties, DFR said. Crews from Forney, Rockwall, Seagoville, Kaufman County, Red Oak, Ovilla, Ellis County, Bristol and Combine assisted in the effort.
DFR deployed 16 engines, five trucks, four boosters and three brush trucks as of Sunday, the fire department said.
No injuries have been reported and residents were evacuated from the area, according the Dallas County Sheriff's Office.
It's not yet known what caused the fire.
Personnel were expected to remain on the scene into Monday evening to make sure the fire stays out, DFR said.
The fire brings renewed attention to the small, unincorporated community of Sand Branch, which sits about 20 miles southeast of Downtown Dallas.
It was originally founded as a refuge for people freed from slavery — also known as a freedman's town. The community relies on bottled water and septic tanks because it doesn't have running water or sewage lines.
Officials in recent years have made efforts to support the town and bring in federal funding, but it still lacks basic infrastructure.
Sand Branch isn't the only rural North Texas community to catch fire recently.
Palo Pinto and Jack counties, 80 miles west of Fort Worth, are currently engulfed in the second-largest wildfire ever recorded in North Texas. It's grown to 85,000 acres and is 31% contained.
The fires come as a dry spell and multiple days of triple-digit heat create brutally hot conditions for North Texas residents.
Dylan Duke is KERA's breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Dylan at dduke@kera.org.
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