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Fires caused by lightning strikes burn 4500+ acres

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By Lynsi Musselman

While a ferocious lightning storm lit up the sky Saturday night, strikes ignited several fires across Shackelford County that lasted well into Monday, with some volunteers working non-stop through a 48-hour stretch.

Shackelford County Rural Volunteer Fire Department secretary Kristy Brooker said that the fire department received three calls all at the same time on Saturday night.

“Different lightning strikes started the fires all around the Ibex area and along Farm to Market 601,” Brooker said. “When we added reports from local ranchers, it brought the total number of fires caused by lightning to about 11.”

According to the Texas Forest Service, the Shackelford County blazes were cate-gorized as two separate fires.

Thanks to Tuesday’s rainfall, both were 100 percent contained. A fire on West Highway 601 called Hubbard Creek Fire consumed 484 acres, while a larger event on East Highway 601 called Deep Creek Fire claimed 3,971 acres.

Mary Beth Jones, whose home is in the Ibex area, reported that her husband Lesley saw lightning strike a tree on the Stasney Palm Saturday night, and he immediately called 911. 

“The fires on Saturday started and spread quickly along Highway 601 to Jim Owen’s place, the Vinsons, and the Bennetts, burning some barns and storage buildings,” Jones said. “Lesley went to get the Stasney’s fire truck, then Dustin Parsons showed up with his truck, and Dean Lowe came with a water tanker.”

Jones said a strike on their property off of Jack Rabbit Lane between
Highway 6 and FM 601, happened within seconds of the first fire.

“Cody Leech, Dan Ruff, Colton Box, and Bryan Jones were all on trucks helping Dustin and Lesley,” Jones added. “So many people responded and came by to offer help in case we needed to evacuate. The fields around our house really protected us.”

Jones said they lost electricity that was turned back on Sunday night, but the threat of fire in the area was not over.

“The fire moved east to the Wades, the Lowes, and the Musselmans, and had several flare-ups on Sunday,” Jones said. “The Texas Forest Service finally had to get planes dropping fire retardant on those properties on Sunday.”

Resident Louisa Musselman Fikes said that she she heard a lightning strike about 9:30 p.m. on Saturday and saw fire when she went outside.

“There was a fire in our east pasture at the Ibex plant, a fire to the south of my house where the Palm is, and then one to the north where the Owens and Lowes are,” Fikes said. “We had help from everywhere so quickly. The Caubles saved us by keeping it from the headquarters where we had moved horses. They were out fighting from 10:00 p.m. Saturday to 7:00 p.m. Sunday.”

Fikes added that the most impressive thing she saw on Sunday were neighbors helping each other out and rural fire trucks from other towns. 

Monday morning, a hot spot was identified by Billy Green, and the Reames and Caubles immediately responded to put it out. 

“The community has been amazing, and we are so grateful,” Fikes said. 

Albany volunteer fire fighter Paige Thompson, who had just returned late Saturday night from Louisiana with a hurricane relief group, was thrown from the track wagon while helping to put out the wildfires.

“I was taken by ambulance to Abilene and received stitches in my arm,” Thompson said. “I am really sore but extremely lucky it was not worse.”

Brooker reported that the Forest Service took over on Sunday evening with some residents helping with flare-ups, after the fire department along with several other volunteers,were on the scene over 48 hours.

“Where the fires burned, they will continue to smolder for days,” Brooker added. “These areas will continue to be monitored. However, we want to remind sight-seers to be mindful of crews that are trying to respond to hot spots and flare-ups. It can become dangerous to ground workers and interfere with the planes trying to drop fire retardant.”

City of Albany fire chief Kyle Tischler said his department, along with help from the county department, worked to save 25 structures and numerous tank batteries between Saturday and Monday.

Tischler explained that once the Texas Forest Service took over, they provided enough resources for the city and county departments to take a break.

“It was getting dangerous for our crews to be on scene at a certain point,” Tischler said. “We call the Forest Service the ‘cavalry.’ They come in with a whole team of dozers and aircraft.”

Tischler said the humidity and rain has been a plus but with a forecast of wind and storms, the department will be on alert throughout the week.

“Volunteer departments could be requested if the fires flare up again and embers blow in non- contained areas,” Tischler explained. “Lots of people will be needed if that happens.”

Jones urges residents to donate to the local fire departments.

“They worked for many hours straight this past weekend and have repairs to make on their equipment,” Jones said.