Several East Texas fire departments work together to contain 13-acre pasture fire

UPDATE: Nine local fire departments worked together to contain a 13-acre pasture fire Sunday evening and two structures were saved, Elderville-Lakeport Volunteer Fire Department said.

“We ask that you use extreme caution when burning outdoors,” officials said. “The relative humidity will be low for the next few days, and fires will grow rapidly with the wind.”

Elderville-Lakeport VFD said it took over two hours to contain the fire.

Rusk County Commissioners had discussed a burn ban for the county but decided that the weather doesn’t require that right now.

“So right now we are still in a holding pattern. We have not implemented a burn ban yet for Rusk County,” said Rusk County Fire Marshal, Patrick Dooley. “So we’re going to continue to watch the weather, we’re going to continue to watch our drought index, the KBDI, as well winds, weather just in general, is what we watch.”

As things dry out for the fall, officials are asking anyone burning brush outdoors to stay aware of their fires and to notify local firefighters when you burn.

RUSK COUNTY, Texas ( KETK ) – The Rusk County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Marshal’s Office is responding to several fires threatening homes in north Rusk County.

Officials said that eight fire departments, the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas A&M Forest Service and Rusk County OEM responded to fight one fire near Lake Cherokee on State Highway 322. The Texas A&M Forest Service incident viewer listed that fire as being 13-acres-wide and 100% contained as of 7:25 p.m. on Sunday.

“Humidity levels will remain low until after dark, we are asking for anyone burning voluntarily to extinguish their fires and refrain from burning for the next 48 hours until humidity levels rise or we receive reasonable rainfall.”

Rusk County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Marshal’s Office

The Rusk County Commissioner’s Court will reportedly consider a county-wide burn ban on Monday.

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