Fires scorch West Texas

ANDREWS Separate grass fires aided by high winds burned throughout the Permian Basin in at least six counties and New Mexico. The fires threatened homes but never caused any injuries or major structure damage Monday.

As of 9:45 p.m., firefighters continued to battle blazes in Ector, Andrews, Ward and Sterling counties.

Two firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation after they tried to contain a fire that burned near Grandfalls south of Interstate 20, Texas Forest Service spokesman John Bear said. The fire had burned 3,000 acres and was 50 percent contained as of 9:45 p.m.

In Andrews County, three separate fires burned throughout the day, including a late afternoon pasture fire southeast of Andrews between highway 385 and FM 1788. Firefighters continued to battle the 19,000-acre fire headed to the southwest late Monday.

Firefighters received help when a late-night wind shift started blowing to the northeast toward grassland already burned. The fire was 80 percent contained as of 9:45 p.m.

“Good news,” Bear said. “It’s looking pretty good for them at this point.”

In Sterling County, firefighters were matched against a 140,000-acre fire that was still actively burning as of 10 p.m., Bear said. He said the fire was still considered threatening.

Firefighters from Andrews, Martin, Gaines and Midland counties, as well as the forest service, responded to the Andrews night fire just after they contained burning ranchland northwest of the city near Shafter Lake.

That blaze, not connected to the late night fire, burned about 2,000 acres, firefighters estimated, and was contained about four hours after it started. The fire never jumped Highway 1967, Bear said.

Volunteer firefighters also put out a 900-acre fire that the forest service referred to as the “Sand Ranch fire.”

An afternoon grass fire destroyed 5,000 acres south of Odessa. Officials evacuated 200 homes there, but no one was injured, Bear said.

Other fires burned in Glasscock and Midland counties as well as a 52,000-acre grass fire west of Hobbs, N.M., that endangered 100 homes and businesses, according to an Associated Press report.

The fires’ causes were not determined pending investigation.

Sustained winds of 37 mph with gusts up to 51 mph, according to the National Weather Service, fueled the fires.

In Glasscock County, two homes were threatened but never evacuated, Bear said, and two Midland County fires led to one outbuilding being destroyed.