Single Publication

Red Barn 7 Fire Update

Monday August 7, 2023

10:00 pm

Size: 490 acres

Containment: 100%

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:

There were no issues holding the containment lines of the 490 acre Red Barn 7 Fire during the night of August 5th. Texas A&M resources not working during the 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 patrolled containment lines suppressing heat until end of shift.

Today:

Texas A&M Forest Service resources patrolled the entire fire containment perimeter today by noon. No smoldering trees, smoke or heat was visible. Crews continued monitoring until 2:00 pm when they were released after determining the fire was 100% contained .

Weather and Fire Behavior:

It will be very hot and dry today with minimum afternoon humidity dropping into the low teens. Winds will be light, preventing erratic fire behavior. However, there is a low possibility of thunderstorms this afternoon which could cause a light wind direction change the next couple of hours. Activity will diminish later this morning then increase again with afternoon heating. Expect good relative humidity recovery overnight.

Minimum humidity this afternoon was near 21% with a southerly wind around 10 mph. Wind speeds increased in the evening with
gusts up to 20 mph at times. Wind speeds will increase Tuesday and remain elevated for the next few days. This could lead to critical
fire weather conditions Tuesday, Wednesday, and possibly Thursday.

Evacuations: None

Damages/Injuries:  None

Closures: None