Ross Fire consumes 85,303 acres and is 31% contained; aerial attack continues Monday – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Ross Fire consumes 85,303 acres and is 31% contained; aerial attack continues Monday  NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

A fast-moving North Texas wildfire burned more than 78 square miles, destroying structures and forcing evacuations as schools closed Tuesday. The Ross Fire in Palo Pinto County still burns today, and in Dallas county, firefighters needed water hauled in to stop the flames threatening campers. NBC 5’s Larry Collins has the details. A wildfire that exploded in size in a matter of hours on Aug. 24 continues to rip through wide swaths of ranchland in rural North Texas west of DFW on Monday, threatening structures, closing roads, and forcing evacuations. The Ross Fire, which has burned more than 133 square miles across lightly populated areas in Palo Pinto and Jack counties, has been fueled by whipping winds and extremely hot, dry conditions.

As of Monday morning, Texas A&M Fire Service Operations Section Chief Boe Adler said the fire had consumed 85,303 acres and was 31% contained. Create a free account with NBC 5 DFW to save articles and videos. Adler said they expected the fire to be very active on Monday along the west side and that firefighters were working to hold their lines and build securement along the Brazos River. Along that front, they expect a large amount of smoke and fire to be visible from Texas Highway 16. Adler said operations to gain control of the fire continue,