Fire 60% contained, crews gaining ground

By EMILY JO CURETON

FORT DAVIS – As of Wednesday afternoon, the Rock House fire continues to blaze along 12 miles of ravaged earth between Boy Scout Ranch Road south of Balmorhea and Hells Canyon off of Hwy 17 north, stubbornly resisting the efforts of hundreds of firefighters, Texas Forest Service (TFS) rangers, airdrops, bulldozers, and engines.

Now 60 percent contained, the blaze that began Saturday afternoon at a former rock shop outside of Marfa has consumed in excess of 100,000 acres, 29 houses, 40 to 60 outbuildings, 150 head of cattle, seven horses and untold numbers of wildlife.

The owners of the rock shop property are listed as Sidney and Kathleen Skinner, no address available, according to Presidio County Appraisal District information. The place wasn’t occupied when the fire began.

For all this staggering loss, the most important category is null: no human injuries reported.

The fire is no longer threatening any structures.

Fort Davis Volunteer Fire Department spokesperson Jim Fowler was cautiously optimistic about the forecast.

“We’ve cancelled some resource orders because we seem to be getting a handle on the fire, but we still have some big activities right now, probably through tomorrow, but we’re going to have mop up for a long time,” he said.

Though Marfa is no longer in any imminent danger from the Rock House fire, on Tuesday crews continued to blade a precautionary firebreak on the eastern edge of town.

Right now the big concern is high wind gusts and a red flag warning remains in effect until today at 11pm.

AEP reports that 93 percent of customers have power again. Crews have been working sun up to sun down since Saturday to repair more than 100 damaged poles. The utility was able to open up a second transmission line operational from Alpine, so the Marfa substation is no longer carrying the load for all three counties.

Southwest Texas Municipal Gas Corporation started to reconnect businesses and residences in Fort Davis on Tuesday night.