MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas – As of 6 p.m., officials confirmed that it is safe for residents in Montgomery County and San Jacinto County to return home.
“We are very confident based on current conditions and where the fire is, the containment lines that are there, that it is safe to return to their homes,” said Jason Millsaps, Executive Director of the Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
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Millsaps says fire crews will remain on scene overnight to monitor the fire.
He says residents can still expect to see some smoke and smoldering from time to time over the next few days.
“The weather is on our side for the next few days, with the humidity going up and the winds dying down, that will also allow firefighters to continue to get better containment lines and shore those things up so they can snuff this fire out,” Millsaps said.
One home has burned in the Pauline Road Fire in San Jacinto County overnight, officials confirmed.
The information was provided in an Thursday update as crews continue to battle the fire, which currently has burned 2,360 acres and is 45 percent contained.
RELATED: FEMA approves grant to assist in Pauline Road fire in San Jacinto, Montgomery Counties
Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough praised firefighters and first responders for evacuating and protecting homes overnight.
“What they did last night was nothing short of remarkable in protecting people, assets and infrastructure,” Keough said.
READ: Pauline Road Fire: Officials expect more evacuations as windy conditions continue
Keough also said law enforcement chased down animals to rescue them, moving them to safety as well as evacuating the residents of the affected areas. Officials say approximately 60-80 head of cattle along with horses, lambs and sheep, and goats were rescued.
Montgomery County Pct. 4 Commissioner Matt Gray said firefighters did an “excellent job” on containing the fire. Authorities say there were multiple instances where firefighters stood in harms way, building containment lines with no regard for their own safety. This, along with weather conditions, allowed crews to drastically slow the forward progression of the fire.
Gray said reconnaissance did reveal one home was destroyed by the fire in San Jacinto County. It is currently unknown whether anyone was still at the home or if they had evacuated. They will be looking into that.
READ: ‘We are blessed with the best’: Fire crews protect homes overnight as Pauline Road Fire rages
An official with the Texas A&M Forest Service confirmed the cause of the fire can be attributed to a prescribed burn.
“There is an investigation surrounding the circumstances of that prescribed burn. If there is any criminal charges that come out of that investigation, we’ll refer that to the San Jacinto County District Attorney’s Office,” said Josh Mizrany, Assistant Chief Law Enforcement Officer with the Texas A&M Forest Service.
It was also noted that the landowner had permission to burn and had even come up with a plan to do it safely. The investigation will be looking into how it grew out of control.
RELATED: Red Flag Warning continues for Houston on Thursday
About 130-140 firefighters remain out fighting the fire. Officials say the weather conditions and the efforts last night have caused the fire to slow down dramatically compared to Wednesday.
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