Massive 1000 Acre Fire Continues to Grow Near Huntsville, Texas

Names are not a good thing when it comes to storms and wildfires.  When a tropical storm system starts packing enough punch, it gets an official name.  That's kind of the same thing that happens when the Texas A&M Forest Service starts dedicating resources to a fire that has reached extreme or dangerous levels.

This is the case of a massive wildfire that continues to char brush, trees, and more north of Huntsville.  The Walker 4016 Fire has now been renamed the Nelson Creek Fire.  In the course of just half a day, this blaze has grown from around 150 acres to an estimated 1000 acres.  If you're able to picture 750 football fields adjacent to one another, that's the approximate size of this monster fire.

Crabb's Prairie Volunteer Fire Department is one of many agencies battling this blaze.  They have also been providing frequent updates as to the latest status of this wildfire.  In a recent update (6 p.m.) on their Facebook Page, officials with CPVFD state that the fire continues to spread with very little containment. The statement goes on to say that the main line of the fire is progressing northeastward toward the Trinity River, however, no evacuations are anticipated at his time. An air attack plane is also assisting with this operation.

Taking on a wildfire, especially one of this magnitude, is extremely dangerous to those trying to contain and extinguish it.  But, add to that the oppressive and unrelenting 100+ degree temperatures and you have a terrible recipe for heat exposure and exhaustion for the brave souls fighting that blaze.

Please keep all the firefighters in your thoughts and prayers, and please, do not travel to the fire zone to try to capture pictures or get first-hand experience.  Some folks have already done this and in some cases have impeded the efforts of some of the firefighters.

Numerous other fires have started in the East Texas area over the past several days, and the Texas A&M Forest Service has labeled the fire danger as either high or very high over the next week in the Pineywoods.