30 Departments fight 3,000 acre fire in Comanche County; 1 FF injured

Video report from KXXV, Waco
Reported by The Abilene Reporter-News
Firefighters from approximately 30 departments were battling a grass fire for the second day in Comanche County late Wednesday afternoon. The Texas Forest Service reported the fire, 20 miles east of Comanche near Lamkin in Comanche County, had burned 3,000 acres, destroyed one home and two outbuildings.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, said Lewis Kearney, a spokesman for the TFS.

There were reports that the community of Lamkin was evacuated, but Kearney could not confirm that.

Ed Millwee, chief of the Sipe Springs Volunteer Fire Department, said one firefighter was taken to the hospital in Hamilton for heat-related injuries. No other injuries were reported.

Red Cross volunteers from Abilene, Brownwood and San Angelo were on the scene.

Kearney reported that the fire started at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. Numerous volunteer and city departments from surrounding communities responded. The Forest Service had forces on the scene until midnight, Kearney said. Millwee said firefighters had been battling the blaze around the clock.

The lengthy battle — and numerous other fires statewide — stretched Forest Service resources thin, he said.

“We ran out of aviation resources on Tuesday,” Kearney said. “We used everything we had.”

At 10 p.m. Wednesday firefighters had 60 percent of the flames contained, said Justice Jones, public information officer for the Forest Service. Jones said firefighters would fight the fire through the night and try to put out all the hot spots before winds from Hurricane Dolly reignite any areas.

“We are going to stay out here until this fire is put out,” Millwee said.