Wildfire chars 746 acres of land in Panola County; several fires reported in Sabine Parish
(KSLA) — East Texas firefighters battled two massive wildfires that charred more than 1,200 acres. Meantime, several wildfires were reported across Sabine Parish, authorities said.
The reported starting point for a wildfire in Panola County is near FM 31 and Galloway, Texas. The fire started around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21.
As of 10 a.m. Monday, 80% of the fire was contained, with 746 acres of land burned. Officials said no structures have been damaged and no casualties have been reported.
RELATED:
- Shelby County pastor describes 500-acre wildfire 50 yards from church (VIDEO)
- Spann Wildfire in Shelby County grows to 500 acres as multiple crews respond
- Panola County wildfire 80% contained (VIDEO)
- Panola County crews respond to 746-acre Clear Lake Wildfire near Galloway community
- Fire chief gives update on 746-acre Clear Lake Wildfire in Panola County (VIDEO)
- WebXtra: Explosion reported before 746-acre Panola County wildfire took off (VIDEO)
Sabine Parish fire districts and sheriff’s deputies also responded to the areas where they had fires.
Around 1:30 p.m. Monday (Aug. 21), a woods fire was reported in Sabine Parish near Shadows Road. It’s off Pineridge avenue near Louisiana Highway 191, not far from an earlier fire on Willie Salter Road. Fire crews have responded and called in the state’s forestry department.
“Residents in the Dess Road, Willie Salter Road, Rogers Road area are being warned of fire danger near you,” the sheriff’s office posted at 5 p.m. Sunday. “Please take precautions and avoid this area.”
Sheriff Aaron Mitchell reminded everyone again of how serious the fire danger is right now with no relief in the near future.
Officials reported the fire was contained by 10:45 p.m. and they will continue to monitor the area for potential threats.
The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Shreveport issued a Red Flag Warning for northern Louisiana and northeast Texas from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21. This means extreme fire conditions will be present in the area because of winds, low humidity and dry vegetation, according to NWS.
Winds of 10 to 15 mph, a relative humidity of 20% to 25% and temperatures of 103 to 107 degrees mean that “rapid ignition and spread of wildfires is possible,” according to NWS.
NWS said the warning extends to all areas near and south of the I-20 corridor of northeast Texas and northern Louisiana. That includes the following Louisiana parishes and east Texas counties:
LOUISIANA PARISHES
- Bienville
- Bossier
- Caddo
- Caldwell
- DeSoto
- Grant
- Jackson
- LaSalle
- Natchitoches
- Ouachita
- Red River
- Sabine
- Webster
- Winn
TEXAS COUNTIES
- Angelina
- Cherokee
- Gregg
- Harrison
- Nacogdoches
- Panola
- Rusk
- Sabine
- San Augustine
- Shelby
- Smith
Copyright 2023 KSLA. All rights reserved.
