WALLER COUNTY – Waller County fire officials battled at least two fires Tuesday night, one of which destroyed an RV and another that sent a firefighter to the hospital with burns, according to the Waller County Fire Marshal’s Office.
Both fires burned before a Red Flag Warning is set to take effect on Wednesday at 10 a.m., which means critical fire weather conditions are expected due to strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures.
Both Waller County fires have been contained and no evacuations are in place.
The grass fire where the firefighter had to be flown to the hospital with burns to his hands and legs was located in the 3300 block of Mayer Road, near the intersection of FM 362.
“The wind shifted. The cause of the wind shift then caused the fire to come towards him,” Waller County Fire Marshal Brian Cantrell said.
He was in good spirits and is expected to be ok, Cantrell said.
The wind-fanned flames scorched about 60 acres and threatened three homes, officials said.
As crews battled that fire, another popped up near Kyle Drive and North Reids Prairie Road, just miles away.
“I called 911 and they were like, ‘Oh we got (them) en route.’ I said, ‘That ain’t quick enough’,” neighbor Melissa Hammontree said.
Fire crews worked to build containment lines around that fire in a wooded area.
“I looked down there and the fire was up over the flame, flamed out to the road, up over the trees,” Hammontree said.
The Kyle Road fire scorched about 15 acres, destroying an RV and damaging a barn.
The cause of both fires is undetermined.
“This is just scary,” Hammontree said, who has had to evacuate for a fire in the past. “People need to pay attention to what they’re doing.”
Multiple fire department from at least four counties responded to the scene to assist emergency crews.
Waller County officials are stressing the importance of following the burn ban and as Labor Day weekend approaches, encouraging anyone who plans to do outdoor cooking to keep a bucket of water and hose ready nearby.
“Any fire that starts is a potential hazard,” Cantrell said.
VIDEO: Some residents evacuated due to 40-acre wildfire in Cleveland
In the Cleveland area, residents were asked to evacuate their homes due to the wildfire that exploded to 97 acres, according to city officials. That fire is located off the State Highway 105 bypass between FM 1010 and CR 325, and residents are being evacuated from CR 325.
EXPLAINER: What is a Red Flag Warning anyway?
Residents could be seen shooting water into the forest as flames ripped through thick trees. A chopper also scooped water to fight the fire from the air.