UPDATE: Evacuated Ector County Residents Allowed To Return
By: Karl Rundgren
Updated: April 4, 2011
UPDATE: 9:00pm Andrea Goodson from the City of Odessa says that residents of the South Ranchito and Batesfield communities can now return to their homes. About 100 homes had been evacuated earlier this afternoon because of the fire.
Residents must contact Department of Public Safety troopers at Hammett Drive and F.M. 3503.
2,500 acres were burned in the fire. No structures were damaged and there are no reports of any deaths or injuries.
UPDATE: 7:55pm Andrea Goodson from the City of Odessa now says the fire is under control, but stresses that it is not "contained." A Texas Fire Service estimate shows that the fire has consumed roughly 2,500 acres.
At this time no homes or structures have been damaged by the fire.
The boundaries around the fire are 171, FM 3503 and 1325. It's about a four mile radius.
Crews are still attacking the fire at this time.
UPDATE: 7:10pm -- Andrea Goodson from the City of Odessa says the fire is still not contained. Roughly 100 homes have been evacuated as a result of the fire.
A lot of attention is being put on saving the Water-Reclamation plant that's in danger.
The Texas Forest Service is working to survey the fire site from the air, as they try to determine how many acres have been lost.
The Odessa and Midland Fire Departments, along with numerous volunteers like the SOuth Ector County Volunteer Fire Department are still working to slow the flames down.
UPDATE: 6:00 pm -- Lots of people are frantically working to save a multi-million dollar water reclamation plant that is being threatened by the flames. Crews are doing everything they can to keep the fire away.
ECTOR COUNTY -- The fire broke out a little after 4pm East of Hwy. 385 on Loop 338.
The Batesfield Road area is being evacuated as a safety precaution, along with the South Ranchito neighborhood. Fire crews are aggressively working to protect homes and structures from these flames.
Loop 338 has been shut down between I-20 and FM 3503, and some other roads are also closing down.
The Texas Forest Service is calling this the North 3503 fire. They are using a helitanker, heavy air tanker, more engines and more. Structures are threatened.
We understand some dozers are being brought into that area to assist in the digging of a fire line, trying to stop the spread of the flames.
The exact cause is unknown at this time.
Big 2 has multiple crews on the scene. We'll continue bringing you information here on permianbasin360.com/
If you have pictures of the fire, please send them to news@kmid.tv
Residents must contact Department of Public Safety troopers at Hammett Drive and F.M. 3503.
2,500 acres were burned in the fire. No structures were damaged and there are no reports of any deaths or injuries.
UPDATE: 7:55pm Andrea Goodson from the City of Odessa now says the fire is under control, but stresses that it is not "contained." A Texas Fire Service estimate shows that the fire has consumed roughly 2,500 acres.
At this time no homes or structures have been damaged by the fire.
The boundaries around the fire are 171, FM 3503 and 1325. It's about a four mile radius.
Crews are still attacking the fire at this time.
UPDATE: 7:10pm -- Andrea Goodson from the City of Odessa says the fire is still not contained. Roughly 100 homes have been evacuated as a result of the fire.
A lot of attention is being put on saving the Water-Reclamation plant that's in danger.
The Texas Forest Service is working to survey the fire site from the air, as they try to determine how many acres have been lost.
The Odessa and Midland Fire Departments, along with numerous volunteers like the SOuth Ector County Volunteer Fire Department are still working to slow the flames down.
UPDATE: 6:00 pm -- Lots of people are frantically working to save a multi-million dollar water reclamation plant that is being threatened by the flames. Crews are doing everything they can to keep the fire away.
ECTOR COUNTY -- The fire broke out a little after 4pm East of Hwy. 385 on Loop 338.
The Batesfield Road area is being evacuated as a safety precaution, along with the South Ranchito neighborhood. Fire crews are aggressively working to protect homes and structures from these flames.
Loop 338 has been shut down between I-20 and FM 3503, and some other roads are also closing down.
The Texas Forest Service is calling this the North 3503 fire. They are using a helitanker, heavy air tanker, more engines and more. Structures are threatened.
We understand some dozers are being brought into that area to assist in the digging of a fire line, trying to stop the spread of the flames.
The exact cause is unknown at this time.
Big 2 has multiple crews on the scene. We'll continue bringing you information here on permianbasin360.com/
If you have pictures of the fire, please send them to news@kmid.tv
