Single Publication

Red Barn 7 Fire Update

Sunday August 6, 2023

4:00 pm

Size: 490 acres

Containment: 80%

Start Date: August 5, 2023

Cause: Under Investigation

After 5 p.m. on Aug. 5, Texas A&M Forest Service received a request for assistance on a fire burning 1.5 miles south of Fort Davis along Highway 17 in Jeff Davis County, Texas. The fire is burning in grass and brush fuels.

Texas A&M Forest Service has mobilized the following to assist with response efforts: fire managers and miscellaneous overhead, dozers, engine crews and a suppression crew module from Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS), Emergency Medical Task Force (EMTF) personnel.

Yesterday:

The Red Barn 7 Fire started burning mid slope on a hill next to Highway 17. Crews began creating indirect containment lines next to existing roads by implementing a burnout operation, which is a removal of unburned fuel between the fire’s active edge and the road. Indirect containment lines are built some distance away from the active fire edge to take advantage of existing barriers and to provide for firefighter safety. Crews worked through the night, completing the burnout operation and holding the new containment lines.

Today:

There were no issues holding the containment lines last night around the now estimated 490 acre fire. Texas A&M Forest Service resources not working last night, TIFMAS crews and the EMTF returned to the fire at 8:45 am and by noon the Red Barn 7 Fire was 80% contained. Resources will continue patrolling and suppressing heat until end of shift today.

Weather and Fire Behavior:

Mild temperatures this morning around 70 degrees with maximum relative humidity around 45 percent. Winds will come from the southwest blowing around 7 to 12 mph. Temperatures will be hot with a high around 102 and minimum relative humidity around 15 percent. No thunderstorms are expected this afternoon. Tonight, temperatures will fall to around 72 degrees and relative humidity recovery will only be 45 percent.

Monday will remain hot with a high temperature near 102 degrees and minimum relative humidity falling to around 14 percent. There is a low chance that an isolated thunderstorm may appear on Monday afternoon. Lightning risk will be low, but gusty, erratic winds may be possible even with dry showers and thunderstorms.

Evacuations: None

Damages/Injuries:  None

Closures: None