Yesterday (on Tuesday), a controlled burn on the 101 Ranch got out of control, after a whirlwind caused the fire to spread. KRTS's Steve Anderson visited the site of the wildfire burning on the 101 Ranch and Hawkins Ranch. The fire is about 17 miles south of Alpine on 118, just after the Border Patrol checkpoint.
As of 5 PM Wednesday, the fire was burning down the side of Cienega Mountain.
Anderson spoke with Richard Gatewood, the Fire Ecology Officer at Big Bend National Park. Around 40-60 people are figthing the fire, and the majority of them are from the Los Diablos, a group of firefighters from the Mexican towns bordering Big Bend National Park.
It's projected that the fire wont be put out until Sunday. Currently, one helicopter and one single-engine tanker from the Texas Forest Service are in use, with more tankers arriving from Amarillo overnight.