Grass Fire Engulfs At Least 20 Homes in the Suburban Dallas Area; Other Wildfires Reported in North Texas

A grass fire has torched the suburban Dallas area in the drought-stricken North Texas, engulfing at least 20 homes but with no immediate reports of casualties.

The flames were likely caused by a lawnmower in the neighborhood, according to local authorities.

Since then, the fire has spread, but was put out already on Monday, July 25.

The blaze has covered hundreds of yards in an open field in a suburban Dallas subdivision in Balch Springs earlier this week.

A total of 26 structures, including homes, were damaged and destroyed. Other infrastructure such as roads and bridges, as well as power lines, were also at risk from the growing fire in the area.

The grass fire is one of the latest wildfires to have hit North Texas, which has witnessed a number of explosive wildfires in at least two weeks.

These North Texas wildfires include the so-called Chalk Mountain Fire and the Possum Kingdom Lake Fire, which firefighting teams are still attempting to contain.

This year alone, multiple wildfires have erupted in several regions across the United States, especially in the southwestern and south-central states, which include Texas.

While US weather authorities attribute fire weather conditions to be the trigger of these fires, a few reports suggested some are caused by human activities.

Balch Springs Grass Fire

Wildfire — Photo by JASON CONNOLLY/AFP via Getty Images

Local officials said the Balch Springs grass fire burnt a total land area of 300 yards through wooden fences.

Balch Springs Fire Marshal Sean Davis told CBS News that the fire was already contained by late Monday night, confirming that people evacuated the area, and there were no reports of injuries.

Davis also stated the said mower, being used in open fields to trim the brush, and its blade struck a debris, generating a spark that led to the blaze.

From there, the fire spread rapidly from Interstate 20 (I-20) to the subdivision by 4:00 p.m. on Monday.

Also Read: 42 Dead as 50 Spontaneous Wildfires Blaze in Algeria, Authorities Suspect Arson

North Texas Wildfires

As mentioned earlier, other wildfires are ongoing across North Texas and still pose a threat to various communities and the environment, prompting local authorities to impose emergency measures.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Saturday, July 23, issued a disaster declaration for 10 counties in North Texas, including Somervell County, as a response to the ongoing Chalk Mountain Fire which already burnt over 6,700 acres since last week, the local news KXAN reports.

Meanwhile, the Possum Kingdom Lake Fire destroyed five homes located 70 miles west of the city of Fort Worth, Texas.

Aside from the mentioned fires, there are other ongoing wildfires across Texas, which the Texas A&M Forest Service listed below:

Mustang Fire, Williamson County
Pumper Road Fire, Caldwell County
Pigmy Fire, Caldwell County
San Gabriel Fire, Williamson County
Cat Fire, Clay County
Sky Diver Fire, Caldwell County
River Bottom 2 Fire, Hood County
Honey Creek Fire, Uvalde County

Fire Weather Conditions

In the past, the National Weather Service (NWS) along with other US agencies has been issuing weather forecasts regarding the risks caused by fire weather conditions, which promotes the growth and spread of wildfires, as well as smoke dispersion.

The NWS defines fire weather as a meteorological parameter which pertains to soil moisture, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, mixing height.