The Southern Area Gold Type 2 Incident Management Team has arrived in Texas and will assume command of the Mesquite Heat Fire. An incident management team is mobilized during complex emergency incidents to provide a command and control infrastructure to manage that incident.
A secondary cold front will move south across the area Sunday dropping temperatures further and ushering in a good chance of scattered thunderstorms beginning Sunday evening and lasting well into next week.
The Heat Advisory is in effect from 1 pm. Friday to 9 p.m. because temperatures are forecast to reach between 103 and 107 degrees. When it's that hot, heat related illnesses will occur especially for people who spend extended periods of time outdoors in the sun.
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.
