Local volunteer firefighters have been working tirelessly to contain the 120-acre fire that broke out in Devine on Monday around 1 pm just south of Great Oaks. Firefighters saved many, many homes in the blaze. Crews worked relentlessly for around 8 hours to get control of the blaze.
“It was a huge fire and it moved very, very fast. I believe we saved at least 20 homes that were threatened in the path of the fire,” firefighter Shelly Watson said. “With our trucks getting stuck, it was a very dangerous situation. From what I saw, it got as close as 10 yards to at least one home.”
Winds changing direction, heat, and thick brush were also an issueAssistant Fire Chief Patrick DuBose said, “The sand out there was like quicksand, and trucks were getting stuck, so when the Texas Forrest Service came in with 3 airplanes and 3 bulldozers it really helped out. I believe it’s been over 25 years since we’ve had to call in Texas Forrest Service in the Devine area.”
Crews got control of the fire around 9 pm, but kept watch throughout the night. Around 3 am, they were still out there. Chief Atkinson stated, “We have stationed a fire watch up to keep an eye on the area until suppression teams can re-enter in the morning.”
Bigfoot, Moore, Lytle, Natalia, Yancey, Castroville, and Hondo all assisted at the scene.
By Kayleen Holder
Editor