San Angelo Firefighters Aid Panhandle Wildfire Battle

SAN ANGELO, TX — San Angelo firefighters dispatched last Friday to the Hungate Fire in the Texas Panhandle are now assisting with the Stinky Fire northwest of Amarillo. 

Assistant Fire Chief Johnny Fisher said the department sent a Type 6 engine, a Type 3 engine, and a strike team leader with Squad 1 as part of a strike team requested through the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System, known as TIFMAS. The crew responded to support the Texas A&M Forest Service and local agencies. 

The Hungate Fire, which started May 14 southwest of Canyon in Randall County, burned 34,131 acres after merging with the Chocolate Chip Fire. It prompted evacuations and destroyed multiple structures, including a historic railroad trestle bridge. The fire reached 100% containment by May 19. 

Crews have since moved to the Stinky Fire in Potter County, which started May 17 near the Amarillo city landfill and spread into nearby neighborhoods. The fire has burned about 2,335 acres and was 85% contained as of May 20, officials said. It destroyed 52 homes and damaged 25 others, according to the Amarillo Office of Emergency Management. The fire was reported to be 100% contained as of 2:30 a.m. this Friday morning. 

San Angelo, in Region 7, joined teams from Odessa, Midland and El Paso in the mutual aid effort.

“To be able to work with other departments and help the state and help the community is a good feeling,” Fisher said. “We’ve got a really good team here, and they do a really great job and so we’re just proud and glad that we’re able to assist when we can.”

TIFMAS mobilizes local resources statewide when fires exceed what local departments or counties can handle. Strike team duties typically include cutting fire lines, mop-up operations, direct fire attack and protecting structures. Crews normally serve two-week rotations. 

Fisher said he is proud of the San Angelo Fire Department’s wildland team, which has participated in TIFMAS since 2018. The team, made up mostly of men with three women, is highly regarded across the state for its experience and performance, he said. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency Fire Management Assistance Grants have been approved for both the Hungate and Stinky fires, Gov. Greg Abbott’s office announced.