Single Publication

August 7, 2023

Size: 1,400 acres

Containment: 25%

Date Started: August 6, 2023

Cause: Unknown 

Structures: There has been confirmation of two outbuildings lost.

Evacuations: Last night there were voluntary evacuation orders in place but those have been lifted at this time.

The Double Back Fire started on August 6, 2023, and was responded to by multiple fire departments from Johnson County initially. Texas A&M Forest Service was requested for assistance at 3:00 p.m. and responded with aviation resources, heavy equipment, and engines from Texas A&M Forest Service and Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS). Multiple departments from Johnson, Hood, and Parker counties are working in Unified command with Texas A&M Forest Service, and Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM).

Closures: There are no road closures at this time. There is a TFR in place currently (NOTAM #3/9352; https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_3_9352.html). It is important to remember that if you fly we can’t, any aircraft in the area will cause aerial operations to stop.

Yesterday: Last night fire resources conducted a large backfire operation to secure the head of the fire. This involved intentionally setting fire along county and ranch roads to burn a large area of grass off in front of the head of the fire to remove any fuel from the fire. This stopped further progression of the fire last night, allowing crews to take more time constructing containment lines around the perimeter of the fire. Heavy equipment worked through the night and were able to construct containment lines linking several of the roads around the fire, with a result that containment lines are now present around the entire perimeter of the fire.

Today: Resources are back on this morning and will be working to improve the initial containment lines with heavy equipment today, making sure that there is good access around as much of the fire as there can be for engine crews. Engines will be patrolling around the fire and mopping up, or looking for any areas of heat within the first 100 feet of the fire’s edge. As the day progresses and dries out resources will be ready in case this fire becomes active again and tries to move outside of its containment lines.

Weather and Fire Behavior: Temperatures are expected to high again today with minimum humidity values dropping to 25% this afternoon. There is a chance of some erratic winds this afternoon as a weak cold front is expected to pass over the area. These conditions are expected to continue the rest of this week

Fire Information

Adam Turner

Public Information Officer, Texas A&M Forest Service

Email: adam.turner@tfs.tamu.edu

Phone: 940-328-9158

Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/txtxs-storage-fire

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