Firefighters burn 10 acres in controlled burn after 12 acres burn in grass fire near NE Houston park
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Approximately 12.5 acres burned in a grass fire near a park in northeast Houston on Thursday night.
It's just another sign of how dry and dangerous conditions are amid an ongoing drought in southeast Texas.
Video from overnight shows the flames at 6323 Sandy Oaks Drive near Smokey Jasper Park. The Houston Fire Department said the fire began just before 7 p.m.
Storm photographer Jaime Garcia reported seeing lightning in the area at the time.
In addition to the 12 acres that burned, HFD firefighters burned another 10 acres as part of a controlled burn overnight to prevent the fire from spreading even further.
In an update at 9:20 p.m., HFD Chief Sam Peña said the fire was under control.
"Considering the drought that we've been in and the hot temperatures -- over 100 temperatures for a number of days here in the Houston area -- most likely contributed to the spread of this fire due to the dry grass," Capt. Sedrick Robinett said.
Authorities did not say what the official cause of the fire was. HFD Arson is investigating.
No injures were reported and no structures were damaged.
Without measurable rainfall for more than 30 days, every southeast Texas county has fallen into a state of moderate to severe drought. This has prompted the majority of counties across the state to put burn bans in place.
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