By LEWIS SPEARMAN
HUFFMAN Sever drought conditions made a serious impact on local firefighters beginning Sunday at 1:09 a.m. when the Cleveland Police Dept. alerted to a grass fire.
Huffman Volunteer Fire Dept. started fighting a grass fire that would encompass (conservatively) 188 acres, threaten 4 structures and combine efforts of four counties and 18 fire departments with assistance from the Texas Forestry Service and Harris County Office of Emergency Management from Sunday through verification containment on Tuesday. The Texas Forestry Service was still there on Tuesday.
The fire began up in the North, near County line, nebulous part of Huffman-Cleveland Rd., near Plum Grove Road, Swamp Grove Rd. etc.
According to Huffmans VFDs Chief Kevin Guillot the blaze encompassed over three miles North to South.
Conditions are ripe for a forest fire of unpresidented magnatude and Harris County has banned 2 aerial fireworks, they will review the threat on June 21 to see if a ban on all fireworks should be made, according to Judge Ed Emmett.
The blaze started within sight of the FM 2100 Roadway and spread rapidly to encoumpass 144 acres of land threatening a cluster of houses. The state firemen brought two helicopters and an airplane spotter into the battle. Huffman VFD helped the homeowners by relocating livestock, personnel and putting trucks in position early on in the battle. The fire raged within 30 yards of the structures, then to the relief of firefighters the wind shifted to come from the East. Huffman VFD then was able to contain the growth of flames before they bit into houses. Sixteen tankers at 15,000 gallons each were repeatedly refilled.
On Monday a South southwesterly wind took the flames back over some fire brakes dug by a off duty Houston FD firefighter with his tractor, and four bulldozers from the Texas Forestry Service. This blaze would burn 37 acres although a helicopter continued to drop water, Huffman called in 16 fire departments the second day from 4 counties.
All the vehicles employed for direct firefighting were off road including mor nimble Brush Trucks and Huffmans New ARGO 6X6 amphibious craft.
