Brush Fire Sunday in Muldoon
-
An aerial image shows the size of the fire on Three Mile Rd. Sunday. -
A single-engine air tanker drops a load of fire retardant on the Three Mile Rd. fire on Sunday. Photos courtesy of Muldoon VFD
On Sunday, July 10, at 3:53 p.m., Muldoon Fire Department took a call reporting a large brush fire on Three Mile Rd.
The first firefighters to respond protected a nearby home until other units could arrive. Muldoon Fire Chief Stephen Kelly set up a command post and called for mutual aid from Flatonia Fire Department.
Muldoon Command also requested assistance from the Tex as A&M Forest Service, which provided two bulldozers and three single engine air tankers (SEATs), which are small airplanes that drop fire retardant. Kelly said the planes dropped three loads of retardant to help secure fire lines.
Kelly said the firefighters appreciated Fayette County EMS for providing rehabilitation and a cool place to recuperate from the excessive heat. An AirEvac helicopter assisted in the early stages of the fire by helping the fire department estimate the size of the fire.
Fayette County Sheriff’s Office assisted with traffic control, scene security and stood by in case evacuations were needed.
“On behalf of the Muldoon Fire Department and as President of the Fayette County Firefighters Association, I would like to thank the Flatonia Fire Department and all agencies who assist fire departments during these emergencies,” Kelly said. “The excessive heat takes a toll on everyone, especially during firefighting operations, and it takes a community to help out.
Kelly said the cause of the fire is unknown, but it is believed to have been caused by a limb coming into contact with a power line, which also caused a power outage in the area.