Mesquite Heat Fire near Abilene reaches almost 10,000 acres, burns about 25 homes

Laura Gutschke and Greg Jaklewicz, Abilene Reporter-News
·7 min read

Fire crews had the Mesquite Heat Fire southwest of View contained to about 30% and 1,500 acres through early Wednesday afternoon.

Then the winds shifted about 3 p.m.

As of Thursday afternoon, the wildfire had burned 9,613 acres and was 5% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

An estimated 50 to 60 houses had been destroyed, Abilene Mayor Anthony Williams said about 10 a.m. Thursday during a Facebook live video update, but he corrected that number in an afternoon post to plus-or-minus 27.

Live updates: Abilene mayor says 50-plus houses destroyed

A view of the Mesquite Heat wildfire, illuminated by the setting sun, from Kirby Lake at sunset Wednesday.
A view of the Mesquite Heat wildfire, illuminated by the setting sun, from Kirby Lake at sunset Wednesday.

Why the fire grew Wednesday

On Wednesday morning, "We were looking fairly well starting off. We got to about 30% containment. We're still holding 1,500 acres, and then we had a dry line move in from the west, which caused a wind shift," said Stuart Morris, Forest Service regional wildland urban interface coordinator.

The fire broke containment and rushed east over U.S. Highway 277, prompting road closures and evacuations, including the town of Buffalo Gap.

"It was hard west winds that hit that afternoon, and once that happened, there wasn't much we could do. We were just trying to get people out of the way of it," Morris said.

More: Here's a list of resources available for Mesquite Heat Fire victims and how you can help

Evacuations and road closures

A Taylor County Sheriff's Office deputy and a Department of Public Safety trooper man a roadblock at U.S. Highway 277 and FM 1235 on Thursday. Other roads going south were blocked to regular traffic.
A Taylor County Sheriff's Office deputy and a Department of Public Safety trooper man a roadblock at U.S. Highway 277 and FM 1235 on Thursday. Other roads going south were blocked to regular traffic.

Taylor County Judge Downing Bolls Jr. issued Wednesday night a disaster declaration, and city of Abilene and county officials activated the Emergency Management Operations Center.

Mandatory evacuations announced Wednesday afternoon and evening for the following areas remained in effect early Thursday afternoon:

► City of Buffalo Gap.

► Country Place South to FM 89.

► South of FM 1235.

► Hillside Road.

► Hidden Valley Road

► Braune Road.

► County Road 297.

► "Anybody in the vicinity of the fire," the order stated.

More: See a map of the Mesquite Heat Fire, smoke spread

Taylor County inmates help set up a tent where bottled water and other supplies, such as lip balm and wipes, could be picked up by firefighters and volunteers assisting with the Mesquite Heat Fire Thursday.
Taylor County inmates help set up a tent where bottled water and other supplies, such as lip balm and wipes, could be picked up by firefighters and volunteers assisting with the Mesquite Heat Fire Thursday.

In addition, two major roads were closed, an order remaining in effect as of Thursday early afternoon:

► U.S. Highway 277 between View and Coronado's Camp.

► FM 89 from Coronado's Camp to Buffalo Gap.

At a staging area in View, the Dad’s Italian Ice truck was on hand Thursday morning to dish out eight flavors for volunteers and firefighters.

“We’ve had quite a few” takers, said Candice Davis, general manager of Dad's.

Taylor County inmates also were placing on tables lip balm, wipes, water and other supplies for first responders.

At a hazy distance, tankers were dropping fire retardant.

'Ready to go at a moment's notice'

Jason Groves, who owns and operates Fort Refuge Ranch with his wife on FM 89 between Buffalo Gap and Camp Tonkawa, said they are about 4 miles from the main fire area. They evacuated briefly Thursday night, then returned to sleep.

This is the biggest issue for the couple since moving to the property three years ago.

Currently unaffected, the Groves are offering a 25-bed facility to anyone in need of a place to stay, work and/or shower. One family has taken them up on it.

A network of neighbors extending to past Lake Abilene started a text thread the first day of the fire to stay connected, Groves said. There are widows living in the area “that we are keeping an eye on.”

Some in the text thread are on hills and have a good view of the fire.

“We know that at any point in time, if the wind comes our direction, it could reach us very fast," Groves said.

They are trying to be prepared for the worst.

“We have everything packed up that is priceless. We’re ready to go at a moment’s notice," he said.

State sends additional resources

The wildfire "certainly exceeded the resources that we have available locally," Williams said.

The state has sent a Gold Star team that is providing operational support, logistical support and "even finances in helping" fight the Mesquite Heat Fire, Williams said.

"We do have additional resources on scene today," Morris said.

Several responding area volunteer fire departments are working in tandem with a five-engine crew from the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System, which calls up firefighters from other parts of the state during emergencies.

"They're going to be assisting us with structure protection, especially this afternoon, and patrolling the line, trying to get hot spots knocked out so that way hopefully we have less risk of jumping containments," Morris said Thursday morning.

An ECCA truck returns mid-day Thursday to the Mesquite Heat staging area at the Taylor County Precinct 1 barn in View. U.S. Highway 277 is closed to regular traffic at its intersection with FM 1235 at View.
An ECCA truck returns mid-day Thursday to the Mesquite Heat staging area at the Taylor County Precinct 1 barn in View. U.S. Highway 277 is closed to regular traffic at its intersection with FM 1235 at View.

Aircraft also are supporting the ground efforts, dropping flame retardant in the unpopulated area.

The wildfire is burning through rough, hilly terrain with cedar and juniper, primarily south of Braune Road/Summit Avenue. The fire did not reach Buffalo Gap overnight Wednesday, Morris said.

A smoke cloud blew over south Abilene Wednesday evening, bringing the smell of burnt mesquite. The cloud could be seen for miles around and as far as Brownwood, according to social media posts.

Thursday's weather was to be much like Wednesday's: area high temperatures of 105 to 110 degrees with gusty southwest winds and low relative humidity, the National Weather Service forecasted.

Those conditions prompted red flag and excessive heat warnings for the area Thursday afternoon. Similar conditions are expected Friday, with a high of 103 degrees.

Both the 2022 Dyess Big Country AirFest and the Zoolute – which were to be Saturday at Abilene Regional Airport and the Abilene Zoo, respectively – have been canceled due to the wildfire.

How to help evacuees and fire victims

Several local and regional entities are mobilizing to assist with the immediate and long-term needs of evacuees and victims who have lost houses.

The local chapter of the American Red Cross on Wednesday moved its command center and shelter from View Baptist Church to Beltway Park Church South, 4009 Beltway South.

Additional shelters were set up at Lawn Baptist Church and Jim Ned Valley Church of Christ in Tuscola.

Ten people stayed at the Beltway Park Church South shelter Wednesday night, said Robyn Flores, executive director of the American Red Cross-Big Country Chapter.

'It's devastating': Mesquite Heat Fire has destroyed at least 10 homes. Here's what we know.

The Mesquite Heat fire from Deer Valley Drive on Wednesday.
The Mesquite Heat fire from Deer Valley Drive on Wednesday.

"Most people are saying with family and friends," she said.

The shelter is well stocked with food, water and other supplies, and no additional donations of such items are needed currently, she said.

"We have a wonderful community," Flores said. "... Right now the initial needs really are taken care of."

Here is a roundup of other resources:

► General information:  United Way of Abilene recommends contacting Big Country VOAD, Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster, at the website unitedwayabilene.org/bigcountryvoad/ and 211, which is available 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday at 211 or 325-673-8211.

► Animals: Taylor County Expo Center is providing housing for horses and other animals.

A horse peers Thursday through the bars at its stall at the Taylor County Expo Center. The center is sheltering livestock from the Mesquite Heat Fire near View.
A horse peers Thursday through the bars at its stall at the Taylor County Expo Center. The center is sheltering livestock from the Mesquite Heat Fire near View.

►Storage: U-Haul is offering 30 days of free self-storage and U-Box container usage to residents who have been displaced by the wildfire. Contact the Abilene location, 826 S. Clack St., at 325-698-0830, or the San Angelo location, 1330 S. Koenigheim St. at 325-655-0595.

► Cleanup: Representatives and chaplains with Texas Baptist on Mission are at  Beltway Park Church South shelter to sign up fire victims needing assistance with debris removal, cutting trees and other recovery efforts, said volunteer Marion Smith.

People can drop by the the shelter to sign up, and teams will be mobilized once the wildfire is contained.

►Legal Assistance: A representative with Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas also is at  Beltway Park Church South shelter to provide free legal help to low-income families and individuals who meet eligibility guidelines.

The nonprofit can assist with filing insurance claims and disaster unemployment assistance, replacing lost documents, reviewing home repair contracts and other matters. Assistance also is available at 817-339-5391.

► Monetary donations: Community Foundation of Abilene is accepting donations to its Big Country Fire Relief Fund to provide support for volunteer fire departments and people affected by the View wildfire. Donations can be made online at cfabilene.org/firerelief.

Unless you are in immediate danger, call 211 for information regarding the fire and not 911, officials said.

And, do not drive through the wildfire area, officials said. Doing so will hamper firefighting and relief efforts.

Williams noted Thursday that the day marked the third anniversary of when a tornado hit Abilene. City officials have previously said the event helped them develop better practices for mobilizing during disasters.

- Greg Jaklewicz contributed to this report.

Laura Gutschke is a general assignment reporter and food columnist and manages online content for the Reporter-News.  If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com. 

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Mesquite Heat Fire reaches almost 10,000 acres, burns about 25 homes