As of Thursday afternoon, the Coconut Fire in Wilbarger County is estimated at 25,000 acres and 20 percent contained, and the Mesquite Heat Fire in Taylor County is estimated at 9,613 acres and 25 percent containment.
Firefighters are facing two more days of intense heat and difficult conditions fighting wildfires in West Texas. A cold front should move into the area by Sunday with the potential for beneficial rainfall.
With temperatures forecast to top out at 110 degrees in San Angelo, the National Weather Service office has issued an Excessive Heat Warning and a Red Flag Warning for extreme wildfire danger Thursday.
The Taylor County Sheriff's office is closing U.S. 277 at FM 89, Buffalo Gap Rd Wednesday evening because of the spread of the Mesquite Heat wildfire which is only 10% contained.
Fires across West Texas caused massive amounts of damage on Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. Especially in Taylor county where multiple families were displaced.
One firefighter was injured, receiving burns from radiant heat. The individual was taken to the hospital where they were treated and released. No other firefighters were injured.
The very hot temperatures will combine with very low humidity and strong, gusty winds to create extreme wildfire danger region wide. Elevated to critical wildfire danger will exist across the area through the end of the week.
According to meteorologists with the National Weather Service office in San Angelo, record high afternoon temps above 100 degrees will combine with gusty southwest winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 40 mph and relative humidity levels in the single digits to create extreme wildfire danger.
Extremely hot and dry conditions across West Texas will intensify over the coming week with temperatures forecast to top 100 degrees everyday along with gusty south and southwest winds with already dry fuels, a Fire Weather Watch has been issued for Tuesday afternoon.
The NWS if advising that afternoon high temperatures will range from 103 to 106 degrees with gusty southwest winds and low humidity levels which reach the parameters required for a Heat Advisory from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday for most of the Concho Valley.
