Crews working to put out 2,500-acre wildfire burning near CR 227 in Brazoria County
BRAZORIA COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A 2,500-acre wildfire in the Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge is 80% contained.
Firefighters told ABC13 they hope to have it fully contained Monday evening.
"It looked like it was probably about 9 p.m.," Nora Hooker, who lives along the fire's perimeter, said about the sky's darkness.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fire Mitigation Specialist Ryan Vice said he believes firefighters will be able to prevent the fire from impacting homes like Hooker's.
ABC13 Meterologist Elyse Smith said the heat index was 112 as Vice and his team battled the blaze Monday.
Vice said it's kind of a losing battle this time of year, and explained that it is difficult to maintain hydration.
He said the team's productivity is about half of what it is in the winter months, something that must be considered for staffing, a matter already made more complex by the landscape.
Firefighters must be trained to work with specialized equipment to protect the delicate ecosystem in the marshy wetland.
Vice explained that the team adjusted their firefighting strategy to protect a threatened bird, the Eastern Black Rail.
"We took different measures on how we are fighting this fire to allow avenues for that bird to get out of the way of the fire," he said.
Vice said the cause of the fire remains under investigation. However, they preliminarily believe it started along County Road 227, likely from someone dragging chains on a trailer.
ORIGINAL REPORT: Large active wildfire reported in Brazoria County near CR 227, residents advised to avoid area
The City of Webster sent out an alert on social media, telling residents that they might smell smoke due to the Brazoria County fire. There is no immediate threat to the Webster area.
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