We're now in day 7 of the Rock House Fire. All highways are now open, including Hwy 17 north of Fort Davis.
The fire is still officially 60% containment. And the 166,000 acres burned figure has not been updated for a couple of days due to heavy winds.
The southern end of the fire remains cool with no activity. Emergency services continue to monitor the northeast flank of the fire. They expect more activity on that side, which is located around Big Agua Canyon which is just southeast of White Mountain, south of the Boy Scout Road. This is a very rugged area that is difficult to access. Today the Texas Forest Service is bringing in heavy single engine tankers to help, along with a helicopter.
Following this morning's status update meetings, Fort Davis Fire Department spokesman Jim Fowler reports a welcome shorter-than-usual meeting.
"There's been good progress overnight," he reports, but noted that a fire line is still burning to the north and west of Fort Davis. The west site is extremely rugged terrain, but because winds are lower today, he expects both bucket and heavy-load aircraft assistance in dousing the fire line.
The electricity situation has improved, and all but 10 homes are back online. Those 10 have damage that will require repairs before reconnection. Gas is restored as well. All in all, it looks better and better for the Fort Davis area, and no new fires reported throughout the KRTS broadcast area.
Stay tuned to 93.5 FM throughout the day for updates. And if you have any updates for US, call us at 432-729-4578.