May 2, 2019 500 AM
JEFF DAVIS COUNTY – A small wildfire broke out in Jeff Davis County last Friday around 6pm. The Fort Davis Fire Department responded to the event, along with Valentine and Cherry Creek fire departments. The fire was “Just west of Sawtooth Mountain and 166,” according to Fort Davis’ Fire Marshal Roy Hurley.
Hurley described the Fort Davis Fire Department’s arrival to the event, saying, “Cherry Creek was on scene, and the landowners were already working on it when we got there.” Within two hours, the fire had been contained. The Texas Forest Service arrived to mop up the fire, which took place on the York Ranch, according to the Marshal.
Two and a half acres were impacted. Despite the county having a burn ban in effect, it was an outdoor campfire that ignited the Friday evening blaze. Hurley spoke on the conditions this year, saying, “Last year it was a lot drier, and this year—it seems like we have a lot more moisture this year, vegetation-wise.”
But part of the reason fire season isn’t as bad this year is because there just isn’t as much dried grass this year. “Some parts of the county got good rains early,” last year, “but some never did recover enough to even grow grass. It was a late season monsoon,” Hurley concluded. With a later rain, grass did not grow as plentifully, so it didn’t dry out and create fire fuel this year.
