Single Publication

Jennings Fire Update

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

9:00 pm

Size: 3,506 acres

Containment: 100%

Start Date: August 7, 2023

Cause: Under Investigation

 At 2:11 p.m. on Aug. 7, Texas A&M Forest Service responded to a request for assistance on a 200 acre fire burning 15.5 miles north/northwest of Zapata in Zapata County, Texas. The fire began burning at a moderate rate of speed through grass and brush fuels in an oil field. Firefighters plan to use local roads to work off to box the fire into containment. No structures were directly threatened.

Texas A&M Forest Service has mobilized the following to assist with response: fire managers and miscellaneous overhead, air resources including an air attack plane, single engine air tanker (SEAT) planes, Blackhawk helicopters with buckets and a large air tanker (LAT); engines, dozers and crews from Edinburg and Alice; the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System Strike Team (TIFMAS) from Cotulla.

An air attack plane provided the early overview of the fire then directed SEATs, LAT and Helicopters to drop flame retardant and water on the western and southwestern flanks of the fire to provide initial heat suppression. State and Zapata County Dozer crews began constructing containment lines on the northern flanks, tying in with a containment line started by a local equipment operator on the eastern flank. After the fire died down a bit around 7:00 pm, engine crews worked with Zapata County resources to contain the fire on the western flank, off of County Road 3169.

Yesterday:

Dozer crews completed the eastern containment line around 2:00 am and the Zapata County engine patrolled for remainder of night. Ground crews arrived on scene around 8:00 am and air resources arrived around 10:00 am. The Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) in the air attack plane observed that the fire had no growth overnight, but there was some interior smoking vegetation and the fire was still creeping within the containment lines.

Dozer crews constructed containment lines around the right “shoulder” of the fire and they had the entire left flank containment line stabilized by 1:30 pm. Crews continued suppression work most of the day, fighting isolated pockets of heat on the right flank. Dozer crews worked to contain a five acre “slopover” (a new fire started outside of the containment area from the original fire) towards the “heel” of the fire. By 10:00 pm the Incident Commander determined the Jennings Fire to be 3,000 acres in size and estimated 85% containment. All Texas A&M Forest Service crew were released for the night and Zapata County resources patrolled the fire over the remainder of the night.

Today:

Resources with Texas A&M Forest Service, TIFMAS and Zapata County arrived on scene at 9:00am. Dozers finish constructing containment lines on the right flank by late morning. Crews are patrolling the left flank working on heat suppression and fence repairs.

By 2:00 pm, the fire was 95% contained and the fire area was mapped at 3,506 acres. All Texas A&M Forest Service resources were released off the fire by 2:30 pm and command was transitioned back to Zapata County.

Fire was 100% contained as of 6:00pm tonight. 

Weather and Fire Behavior:

Very low minimum relative humidity is expected this afternoon into early evening. Relative humidity values are forecast to drop to around 20 percent by mid afternoon with some recovery by late this evening. Light to moderate southeast winds this morning will become moderate and gusty during the afternoon. The gusty southeast winds are expected to continue through the evening hours. High temperatures today will range between 106 to 109 degrees. Winds are expected to weaken overnight and the relative humidity will recover slowly during the overnight period as well.

Evacuations: None

Damages/Injuries:  None

Closures: None