“Please avoid the area if at all possible,” Keough said. “There will be helicopters overhead doing water drops.”
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — Crews are battling a wildfire in the Sam Houston National Forest, Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough announced Saturday afternoon.
The judge said the fire broke out near FM 1375 and FM 149 in northwest Montgomery County. He first posted about the fire on social media at 12:04 p.m. The U.S. Forest Service said the fire, dubbed Trailhead 3, is about 40 acres as of 12:32 p.m.
“An aerial recon has been completed of the fire. Aerial bucket work and ground resources are working to establish containment lines around the fire,” the forest service said. “There is no current threat to the public, and firefighter and public safety remain the top priority.”
According to Keough, the Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security/Emergency Management is working with the forest service to coordinate their response.
“Please avoid the area if at all possible,” Keough said. “There will be helicopters overhead doing water drops.”
Responding to a comment, the judge said this was not a prescribed burn and the cause of the fire is not yet known. The forest service said smoke may be visible from nearby roads.
The fire shut downa stretch of the Lonestar Hiking Trail from Trailhead 3 headed east and from Osborn Road headed west.
“All other sections of the Lone Star Hiking Trail are open,” the forest service said. “Visitors are asked to respect closure signs and avoid the area while crews continue suppression and monitoring operations.”
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