Armstrong, Donley fire burns 15,000 acres

Firefighters and emergency personnel were working diligently Tuesday to contain a wildfire that had consumed more than 11,000 acres in Armstrong and Donley counties in a battle that has already lasted two days.

By Wednesday morning, Texas A&M Forest Service Public Information Officer Clay Bales said the 294 Fire was 60% contained overall and the acreage total was 15,000.

The fire first started along the roadside of FM 294 north of Goodnight late Monday afternoon, April 2, according to Texas A&M Forest Service Public Information Officer Clay Bales.

“All the weather patterns and fuel patterns told us it could be a bad day yesterday,” Bales said Tuesday morning.

The 294 Fire moved north and east over several hours Monday evening as fire departments from Clarendon, Claude, McLean, and Skellytown were joined by Donley and Armstrong county personnel as well as the forest service. TFS single-engine aircraft from Amarillo made eight drops on the fire, and a fixed wing aircraft from Abilene made one drop.

Ten structures were threatened but none were lost Monday, and officials feared that I-40 might have to be shut down due to smoke impairing visibility.

By Tuesday morning, Bales reported that the fire was 70 percent contained and had burned about 6,500 acres.

“We felt like we pretty well had a line around it,” Bales said about 11:30 Tuesday morning, noting that a task force and aircraft were still monitoring hot spots.

But within just a few minutes, with winds picking up out of the north, the fire had reignited on its south side and was being driven toward US 287. Emergency personnel began diverting highway traffic between Clarendon and Claude. By noon, the fire had jumped US 287, and TFS reported three structures had been lost. Bales later said it was four structures, one of which was a home. Specific details of the structures were not available at press time.

High winds continued driving the fire toward rough terrain although it was initially slowed by farmland. Winds also hampered aircraft support from Amarillo, but the tanker plane was able to leave Abilene.

By 4 p.m., TFS reported it had six aircraft including three large air tankers – one from Abilene and two from Phoenix, two helicopters from Oklahoma, and ten dozers assisting local firemen. The fire was 50 percent contained when looking at the entire perimeter at that time.

Donations of Gatorade, peanut butter crackers, and candy bars with nuts were pouring into a staging station at the Associated Ambulance Authority to be delivered to those fighting the fire.

Tuesday afternoon, Bales said the state had two task forces on the ground assisting local crews with four more on the way. The fire had gotten into the canyon, and seven homes were still threatened.

Bales said Wednesday morning that four large air tankers (3000-gallons) and two heavy helicopters are planned to be used today to assist in gaining full containment. At that time, the fire activity remains on the south side in the canyon. Two TFS task forces are active on the south side, and one task force will be going north to check that perimeter as winds come from the south today.