Firefighters working with Harris Co. Flood Control to put out 200-acre wildfire in NE Houston: HFD

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Crews have entered their third day of battling a wildfire in the northeast Houston area, near Greens Bayou and John Ralston Road.

According to HFD District Chief Robert Ausmus, the department was called on Saturday at about 4 p.m. on a report of a fire. Crews responded to the scene and determined a fire was deep-seated in the nearby woods, officials said.

On Tuesday, Ausmus said the fire is now at about 200 acres and 75% contained, but fire crews are in contact with the National Weather Service with hourly updates. So far, there are no properties threatened by the blaze, and no evacuations have been ordered. However, HFD is asking nearby residents and business owners to remain alert and prepared ot take action if requested.

Just the night before, on Monday, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and other emergency officials provided an update on the county's response to the wildfire. At the time, authorities said that the fire stretched across roughly 175 acres, and 75% of it had been contained.

During Monday's presser, Ausmus also said that the fire is on property owned by the Harris County Flood Control District, and that HFD has been working with the agency on how to manage the fire. The two departments decided to put control lines in to box the fire and keep it from spreading to neighborhoods in the south and to the west.

In Tuesday's update, Ausmus added that the fire has stayed between the lines, despite the weather picking up and a shift in wind.

Ausmus emphasized that this fire was big when looking at the surrounding area.

"You think we are a concrete jungle. We actually have a lot of wildland-urban spaces, whether that's parks we develop, whether it's flood control areas like this, where you have natural vegetation. That grows up," Aumsus said. "There is a lot of green, a lot of natural vegetation, throughout the city and the surrounding areas. So when you think 175 acres, that is a lot when you talk about being next to the large city of Houston and our surrounding suburbs."

When asked whether this fire could be a case of arson, Ausmus said that HFD was in contact with the fire marshal's office and that their department was investigating the scene.

HFD requested that everyone, including those driving utility terrain and off-road vehicles, avoid the area, as traffic affects operations.

The fire department said that crews will be on the scene for several days until the fire is completely contained.