Kingsville Volunteer Fire Department battles wildfire at King Ranch
Kingsville emergency crews responded to a wildfire at the King Ranch Thursday afternoon.
Volunteer fire department crews responded to the fire at Sage Road around 1:30 p.m., a department spokesperson said.
The King Ranch, spanning about 825,000 acres, is considered the largest ranch in Texas. It's mostly a cattle ranch.
In a statement, King Ranch Inc. said personnel are working with state and local agencies to contain the fire north of Kingsville.
"The fire began this afternoon off of ranch property and traveled onto the ranch," the statement read. "We ask the public to avoid the area to allow the fire fighters to do their work."
According to the Texas Wildfire Incident Response System, the fire grew to about 200 acres Thursday evening and was approximately 50% contained. It's not yet clear how it started.
Kleberg County Judge Rudy Madrid said the fire was around 350 acres by 6 p.m. on Thursday. Though the fire was not under control, Madrid said the conditions were looking favorable.
The Texas Department of Emergency Management sent a taskforce from Beeville to assist with the wildfire. Airtankers will assist in getting ahead of the fire before it can spread too far, Madrid said.
The fire is located right outside the city of Kingsville, but Madrid said there is currently no threat as the wind is blowing away from the city. Kingsville fire units are monitoring the fire for any advancement toward the city.
Fire Chief Rick Salinas said crews are currently trying to control the fire and get ahead of it.
This is a developing story. Check caller.com for updates.
More news
More: Nueces County officials investigating shooting near Banquete schools
More: Extreme heat expected in Corpus Christi area this week after really warm weekend
More: Nueces County fire marshal lacks certifications to perform inspections, investigate fires
Ashlee Burns covers trending and breaking news in South Texas. See our subscription options and special offers at Caller.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Kingsville Volunteer Fire Department battles wildfire at King Ranch
