Chalk Mountain Fire Update

July 29, 2022 10:00 a.m.

Chalk Mountain Fire Stats:

Size: 6,746 Acres

Containment: 67%

Location: 4.6 miles SW of Glen Rose, TX

Start Date: July 18, 2022

Cause: Under Investigation

Resources Assigned

Total personnel: 293 Engines: 12 Dozers: 2 Handcrews: 2

The Southern Area Blue, Type-I Incident Management Team assumed command of the Chalk Mountain Fire at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, 2022.

Current Status:

Containment continues increasing on the Chalk Mountain Fire, as the total percentage now stands at 67 percent. Hotspots were found off and on throughout the day yesterday, and gridding efforts across the fire continue to identify isolated pockets of heat. Most of this heat was identified in the afternoon when smoke from smoldering debris increases due to elevated temperatures. Unstable air has also produced dust-devils which can be problematic due to the potential to transport embers across fire lines.

While fire activity on the Chalk Mountain fire has reduced, there is still significant work to be done before full containment can be achieved. An afternoon reconnaissance flight observed a noticeable section of smoke remaining on the interior. Night operations also reported heat scattered throughout and amongst strands of timber along the northern perimeter. Additionally, persistent critical fire danger remains across the region. Because of all of this, firefighters will continue to search out and eliminate all remaining sources of heat on the Chalk Mountain Fire.

Fire officials are continuously evaluating staffing levels, and some crews are being made available for reassignment. Many of these crews will remain within the area due to potential for new fires.

Fire Weather:

Thunderstorm development is possible over north Texas as a cold front is expected to move into the area and stall. Any storms that develop bring the potential for strong gusty winds and lightening. Remember, a storm cell does not need to be directly over the fire to impact weather conditions. Today, temperatures will reach 103 degrees with the relative humidity dropping to 25 percent. Winds will be out of the south at 10 mph and gusting 20 to mph.

Evacuations and Closures:

There are no current evacuations or closures impacting the Chalk Mountain Fire.

Contact the Somervell County Sheriff’s Office for the most current information on evacuations and closures:

Phone: 254-897-2242

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Somervellsheriff

Safety and Notifications:

Personal responsibility and

prevention of the next ignition is

of utmost importance in preventing the next wildfire. Refrain from parking vehicles on dry grass and make sure all power equipment is in good working condition. Do your part to help our firefighters.

Wildfires are a NO DRONE ZONE. If you fly, we can’t. Flying a drone near a wildfire can shut down all air operations.

Fire Information:

Fire Information Line:

817-381-5914

Email:

2022.chalkmountain@firenet.gov

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/lssimt

Inciweb:

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8255/

Chalk Mountain Fire Update

July 28, 2022 10:00 a.m.

Chalk Mountain Fire Stats:

Size: 6,746 Acres

Containment: 53%

Location: 4.6 miles SW of Glen Rose, TX

Start Date: July 18, 2022

Cause: Under Investigation

Resources Assigned

Total personnel: 309 Engines: 22 Dozers: 10 Handcrews: 5

The Southern Area Blue, Type-I Incident Management Team assumed command of the Chalk Mountain Fire at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, 2022.

Current Status:

The Chalk Mountain Fire increased containment to 53 percent yesterday, and additional progress was made on all other fronts of the fire. Firefighters gained access to a portion of the fire that presented containment challenges in previous days. This section of the fire was subject to frequent reburn, with persistent heat and visible smoke near the northwestern corner of the fire. Using a bulldozer, firefighters were able to establish a line around this interior pocket of unburned fuel and eliminate the heat source. As of yesterday afternoon, smoke was no longer visible in this section.

Using a gridding tactic where firefighters spread out in a line and search for sources of heat by systematically traveling over an area on parallel courses, crews are scouring the remaining portion of the Chalk Mountain Fire. This gridding tactic continues across the entirety of the fire with special attention paid to areas near homes.

Lack of moisture in the ground combined with unburned fuel near heat sources has made this fire challenging to contain. While progress is being made on the Chalk Mountain Fire, critical fire conditions persist across the region and crews remain available to respond to new starts as needed.  

Fire Weather:

The upper-level ridge over the Chalk Mountain Fire will hold hot dry temperatures in place into the weekend. Temperatures will climb to 104 degrees today with a low relative humidity of 20 percent. Winds will continue out of the south at 8-12 mph gusting to 20 mph. There is no chance of wetting rain today, but a slight chance is present on Friday. The current rain free streak at DFW is at 55 days (5th driest ever).

Evacuations and Closures:

There are no current evacuations or closures impacting the Chalk Mountain Fire.

Contact the Somervell County Sheriff’s Office for the most current information on evacuations and closures:

Phone: 254-897-2242

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Somervellsheriff

Safety and Notifications:

Personal responsibility and prevention of the next ignition is of utmost importance in preventing the next wildfire. Refrain from parking vehicles on dry grass and make sure all power equipment is in good working condition. Do your part to help our firefighters.

Wildfires are a NO DRONE ZONE. If you fly, we can’t. Flying a drone near a wildfire can shut down all air operations.

Fire Information:

Fire Information Line:

817-381-5914

Email:

2022.chalkmountain@firenet.gov

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/lssimt

Inciweb:

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8255/

Chalk Mountain Fire Update

July 27, 2022 10:00 a.m.

Chalk Mountain Fire Stats:

Size: 6,746 Acres

Containment: 40%

Location: 4.6 miles SW of Glen Rose, TX

Start Date: July 18, 2022

Cause: Under Investigation

Resources Assigned

Total personnel: 309 Engines: 22 Dozers: 10​ Handcrews: 5

The Southern Area Blue, Type-I Incident Management Team assumed command of the Chalk Mountain Fire at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, 2022.

Current Status:

Firefighters continued making progress on the Chalk Mountain Fire yesterday as the total containment increased to 40 percent yesterday while the acreage remained the same. The primary area of emphasis is the northern perimeter near the intersection of FM 205 and the northwestern edge of the fire. Visible smoke was observed in this area throughout the day as hotspots interspersed with unburned fuel are causing flareups. Aerial resources spent the day cooling this area, allowing ground crews the chance to work these hotspots. The fire continues to smolder and creep through this area.

Throughout the remainder of the fire, crews spent the day gridding for and extinguishing hotspots on the interior of the fire and focused much of this gridding in and around homes. The eastern and western edges of the fire are being monitored for remaining hotspots, and fire officials are pleased with the progress in these areas.

Fire conditions across the region remain at a critical level. Soil moisture remains completely depleted to a depth of at least eight inches. This means the moisture normally present in the ground is not available to slow the spread of fires. This lack of moisture is facilitating the smoldering and the burning of roots across the Chalk Mountain Fire.

Fire Weather:

Hot and dry conditions will persist throughout the week. An upperlevel ridge remains in place across much of Texas that is holding this heat in place. Temperatures will climb to as high as 104 degrees today with south winds expected at 8-12 mph gusting to 20 mph. Relative humidity will drop to nearly 20 percent. The current rain free streak at DFW is at 54 days (5th driest ever) with no rain expected.

Evacuations and Closures:

There are no current evacuations or closures impacting the Chalk Mountain Fire.

Contact the Somervell County Sheriff’s Office for the most current information on evacuations and closures:

Phone: 254-897-2242

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Somervellsheriff 

 Chalk Mountain Fire Update

July 26, 2022 10:00 a.m.

Chalk Mountain Fire Stats:

Size: 6,746 Acres

Containment: 20%

Location: 4.6 miles SW of Glen Rose, TX

Start Date: July 18, 2022

Cause: Under Investigation

Resources Assigned

Total personnel: 314 Engines: 25 Dozers: 11 Handcrews: 4

The Southern Area Blue, Type-I Incident Management Team assumed command of the Chalk Mountain Fire at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, 2022.

Current Status:

The Chalk Mountain Fire has remained within the same footprint for the past few days and has not progressed beyond its perimeter. However, a more detailed mapping system has added 11 acres to the total size of the fire. This same mapping continues to show significant hotspots throughout the fire, with much of this heat residing in the interior portion of the fire. These hotspots are interacting with unburned or partially burned fuel resulting in reburning and torching.

Today, firefighters will shift their focus toward the interior of the fire by conducting grid searches to seek out and extinguish hotspots before they can reburn. Firefighters will place special emphasis on gridding in and around homes within the fire perimeter to confirm no sources of heat remain in these areas. However, despite the increased emphasis on the interior, firefighters will remain vigilant on improving the perimeter on all sides of the Chalk Mountain Fire.

As crews work toward strengthening and improving control lines, the overall containment percentage will not increase until fire officials are certain existing fire lines are secure. The amount of unburned or partially burned fuel remaining near pockets of heat, combined with the extreme fire conditions throughout the region means fire officials are not comfortable increasing the percentage at this time. However, fire officials are confident the containment percentages will increase in the near future.

Fire Weather:

Temperatures will climb to 102 degrees today, as hot and dry conditions continue throughout the week. The afternoon relative humidity will fall to a low of 20 percent, with southern winds at 10 mph and gusting to 18 mph. No wetting rain is expected in the forecast.

Evacuations and Closures:

From the Somervell County Sheriff's Office: "At this time, the Somervell County Sheriff's Office has no road closures due to the Chalk Mountain Fire."

Contact the Somervell County Sheriff’s Office for the most current info:

Phone: 254-897-2242

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Somervellsheriff

Safety and Notifications:

Personal responsibility and

prevention of the next ignition is

of utmost importance in preventing the next wildfire. Refrain from parking vehicles on dry grass and make sure all power equipment is in good working condition. Do your part to help our firefighters.

Wildfires are a NO DRONE ZONE. If you fly, we can’t. Flying a drone near a wildfire can shut down all air operations.

Fire Information:

Fire Information Line:

817-381-5914

Email:

2022.chalkmountain@firenet.gov

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/lssimt

Inciweb:

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8255/

Chalk Mountain Fire Update

July 25, 2022 10:00 a.m.

Chalk Mountain Fire Stats:

Size: 6,735 Acres

Containment: 20%

Location: 4.6 miles SW of Glen Rose, TX

Start Date: July 18, 2022

Cause: Under Investigation

Resources Assigned

Total personnel: 315 Engines: 24 Dozers: 13 Handcrews: 5

The Southern Area Blue, Type-I Incident Management Team assumed command of the Chalk Mountain Fire at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, 2022.

Current Status:

Fire crews continue making progress as no additional acreage was added to the Chalk Mountain Fire from yesterday. An afternoon reconnaissance flight revealed significant improvement to all areas of the fire over past days. However, similar to previous reports, the northern perimeter of the fire continues to be the primary point of emphasis due to the flaring up and reburning of timber strands.

Much of the eastern and western portions of the fire have containment lines in place, but these areas cannot be added to the overall containment of the fire until firefighters are certain these lines are secure. Crews continue mopping up and eliminating hot spots along these lines, and fire officials anticipate increasing the overall containment number in the coming days.

Fire Weather:

Expect hot and dry day weather conditions today with mostly sunny skies. The afternoon high temperature will reach 102-104 degrees and minimum relative humidity drop to nearly 20%. Winds will be out of the south to southeast at 8-12 mph and gusting to 18 mph. Overnight lows will be in the upper 70s. Be aware for potential Red Flag warnings on Wednesday due to a weather system that will move through the Plains area.

Closures/Evacuations:

The Somervell County Expo Center is now closed.

County Roads 1004 and 1005 are open to traffic. CR 1004 is closed at FM 205. FM 205 remains closed to through traffic from CR 1008 to FM 51. CR 1008 remains closed from FM 205 to FM 51.

Contact the Somervell County Sheriff’s Office for the most current info:

Phone: 254-897-2242

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Somervellsheriff

Safety and Notifications:

Personal responsibility and

prevention of the next ignition is

of utmost importance in preventing the next wildfire. Refrain from parking vehicles on dry grass and make sure all power equipment is in good working condition. Do your part to help our firefighters.

Wildfires are a NO DRONE ZONE. If you fly, we can’t. Flying a drone near a wildfire can shut down all air operations.

Fire Information:

Fire Information Line:

817-381-5914

Email:

2022.chalkmountain@firenet.gov

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/lssimt

Inciweb:

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8255/

Chalk Mountain Fire Update

July 24, 2022 10:00 a.m.

Chalk Mountain Fire Stats:

Size: 6,735 Acres

Containment: 20%

Location: 4.6 miles SW of Glen Rose, TX

Start Date: July 18, 2022

Cause: Under Investigation

Resources Assigned

•     Total personnel: 296

•     Engines: 20

•     Dozers: 11

•     Handcrews: 5

The Southern Area Blue, Type-I Incident Management Team assumed command of the Chalk Mountain Fire at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, 2022.

Current Status:

The Chalk Mountain Fire experienced minimal growth yesterday, adding six acres to the total size of the fire. Despite the minimal growth, heat remains scattered across the northern perimeter and throughout the center of the fire. The same timber strands from previous days holds much of this heat. These strands did not burn cleanly, so flareups and reburning is occurring. Firefighters on the ground are working with aerial resources to eliminate heat sources. Along the eastern and western portions of the fire, crews are mopping up existing heat and increasing the depth of their control lines.

Today’s operational plan will resemble previous days’ plan of action. Crews will focus on eliminating hotspots on the northern perimeter while continuing to strengthen and improve existing control lines along the east and west of the fire. Fire conditions throughout the region remain at an elevated state.

Fire Weather:

Hot and dry conditions continue throughout the day on Sunday, with afternoon temperatures reaching 101-104 degrees. Winds will increase to 10-15 out of the south/southeast with gusts up to 20 mph. Relative humidity will drop to as low as 20%. Today will not see any wetting rain. As reminder, if thunderstorms develop in north Texas, they could generate outflow winds in the afternoon that could cause brief wind shifts and gusts. These storms do not need to be over a fire to cause significant shifts in weather patterns.

Closures/Evacuations:

The Somervell County Expo Center is now closed.

County Roads 1004 and 1005 are open to traffic. CR 1004 is closed at FM 205. FM 205 remains closed to through traffic from CR 1008 to FM 51. CR 1008 remains closed from FM 205 to FM 51.

Contact the Somervell County Sheriff’s Office for the most current info:

Phone: 254-897-2242

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Somervellsheriff

Fire Information:

Fire Information Line:

817-381-5914

Email:

2022.chalkmountain@firenet.gov

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/lssimt

Inciweb:

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8255/

Chalk Mountain Fire Update

July 23, 2022 10:00 a.m.

Size: 6,729 Acres

Containment: 10%

Location: 4.6 miles SW of Glen Rose, TX

Start Date: July 18, 2022

Cause: Under Investigation

Resources Assigned:

•     Total personnel: 228

•     Engines: 18

•     Dozers: 14

The Southern Area Blue, Type-I Incident Management Team assumed command of the 1148 Fire at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, 2022.

Current Status:

Firefighters continue placing emphasis on the northern perimeter of the Chalk Mountain Fire as crews make progress toward completing containment lines. Pockets of heat continue to persist through strands of timber along the northern boundary. Firefighters used aerial resources, including helicopters and CL-415 super scooper airplanes to deliver water to these areas yesterday. Firefighters will continue working these timber strands until they are completely mopped up. Taking advantage of cooler overnight temperatures, handcrews working overnight were able to make significant progress toward securing the fire perimeter.

On the eastern portion of the fire, crews were able to improve a recently completed indirect dozer line by moving it directly next to the fire. This essentially eliminates any unburned fuel between the existing fire and the containment line, strengthening the integrity of the fire perimeter. Mop-up efforts will continue today throughout the eastern flank.

Firefighters worked a couple of recent flareups on the western portion of the fire and continued their mop up efforts along the perimeter while strengthening and improving existing containment lines. These flareups serve as a reminder that even though there has been minimal activity in this area, fire conditions throughout the entire region are still conducive to extreme wildfire activity.

Fire Weather:

Saturday morning will begin with partly cloudy skies that give way to sunshine in the afternoon, allowing a continued trend of temperatures in the lower 100-degree range with a low humidity of 15-20%. Winds will be out of the southeast at 10-15 mph. Although thunderstorms are not expected near the fires, if they do develop in North Texas, they could generate outflow boundaries in the afternoon that could cause brief wind shifts and gusts.

Closures/Evacuations:

The Somervell County Expo Center is open and available for residents affected by the fire with food and sleeping arrangements.

The Somervell County Sheriff has made some changes to road closures. County Roads 1004 and 1005 are open to traffic. CR 1004 is closed at FM 205. FM 205 remains closed to through traffic from CR 1008 to FM 51. CR 1008 remains closed from FM 205 to FM 51.

Contact the Somervell County Sheriff’s Office for the most current info:

Phone: 254-897-2242

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Somervellsheriff

Safety and Notifications:

Personal responsibility and prevention of the next ignition is of utmost importance in preventing the next wildfire. Refrain from parking vehicles on dry grass and make sure all power equipment is in good working condition. Do your part to help our firefighters.

Wildfires are a NO DRONE ZONE. If you fly, we can’t. Flying a drone near a wildfire can shut down all air operations.

Fire Information Line:

817-381-5914

Email:

2022.chalkmountain@firenet.gov 

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/lssimt

Inciweb:

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8255/

Chalk Mountain Fire Road Closure UpdateFrom the Somervell County Sheriff's Office: "At this time, the Somervell County Sheriff's Office has no road closures due to the Chalk Mountain Fire."Contact the Somervell County Sheriff’s Office for the most current info on road closures:Phone: 254-897-2242Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Somervellsheriff

Chalk Mountain Fire Update
July 22, 2022 10:00 a.m.

Chalk Mountain Fire Stats: 

• Size: 6,705 Acres
• Containment: 10% 
• Location: 4.6 miles SW of Glen Rose, TX 
• Start Date: July 18, 2022

Cause: Under Investigation

Resources Assigned

• Total personnel: 189
• Engines: 20
• Dozers: 8

The Southern Area Blue, Type I Incident Management Team assumed command of the Chalk Mountain Fire at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 

Current Status: There was limited fire growth beyond the fire's perimeter yesterday, with crews making progress toward completing line on the northern portion of the fire. Dozerline was completed on the eastern flank, with a small spot fire also being contained. Crews were aided by an increase in relative humidity in the fire area and a slight decrease in winds and temperatures. Despite better weather conditions, the Chalk Mountain Fire remains active due to fire behavior being largely fuel driven. Fuels surrounding the fire's perimeter remain extremely dry. The probability of ignition of fuels in the fire area remains high, with extreme fire still possible. 

Today, additional resources will join the ongoing effort to construct line along the northern portion of the fire and to hold and minimize opportunities for the fire to advance to the north. Along the eastern and western portions of the fire, crews will continue mopping up existing hot spots, while strengthening and improving containment lines.

Fire Weather: A trend of hot and dry weather will continue throughout the region, with daytime temperatures topping out near 100 degrees. Southeasterly winds will continue throughout the day at 9-12 mph with gusts up to 18 mph. Tonight’s humidity recovery near 60% should continue to help nighttime fire operations. A slight chance of precipitation remains this morning but diminishes as the day progresses.  

Closures/Evacuations: The Somervell County Expo Center is open and available for residents affected by the fire with food and sleeping arrangements. 

The Somervell County Sheriff has made some changes to road closures. County Roads 1004 and 1005 are open to traffic. CR 1004 is closed at FM 205. FM 205 remains closed to through traffic from CR 1008 to FM 51. CR 1008 remains closed from FM 205 to FM 51.

Contact the Somervell County Sheriff’s Office for the most current info:

Phone: 254-897-2242

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Somervellsheriff   

Fire Information: 

• Fire Information Line: 817-381-5914
• Email: 2022.chalkmountain@firenet.gov 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lssimt 
• Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8255/  

The Southern Area Blue, Type I Incident Management Team assumed command of the Chalk Mountain Fire at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 

Current Status: A reduction in fire behavior along with successful aerial support yesterday allowed crews time to focus on constructing line on both the west and east flanks of the fire. Line has been completed from the fire’s southern tip, up along the fire’s edges, to FM 205. These constructed lines are free of fuels that the fire can burn. In essence, these lines provide a break between the oncoming fire and unburned fuels on the other side of the line. Overnight crews assisted in improving line constructed earlier in the day.
On the northern portion of the fire, line has yet to be constructed as crews have been concentrating on providing structure protection to homes in the area. However, crews will begin constructing line along the fire’s northern perimeter today. 
Fire Weather:  Fire behavior will moderate today with increased cloud cover, temperatures decreasing to a high of about 100 degrees, and relative humidity increasing to a maximum of about 30 percent. Winds will be out of the southwest in the morning and shift to the southeast and east this afternoon, with gusts up to 15mph. Thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon over the fire area.

In timbered areas, the fire has been spotting up to 200 yards past the fire perimeter, with the fire moving up to a half mile an hour. In lighter fuels, such as grass and juniper, the fire has been moving about a mile and a half an hour.
Closures/Evacuations: On July 19, The Hood County Judge issued a mandatory evacuation for the area of Hutchinson, Coleman Ranch Road, Rock Church Highway, and Nocal in Tolar, however, the evacuation order has since been rescinded. 

The Somervell Sheriff’s Office recommended residents north of 67 and west of 56 evacuate on July 18, 2022. The Somervell County Expo Center is open and available for residents affected by the fire with food and sleeping arrangements. FM 205 from CR 1008 to FM 51 is currently closed due to fire activity in the area. CR1004, CR1005, and CR1008 from FM205 to CR1007 are also closed.