A grass fire fueled by plenty of high wind and dry brush consumed more than 300 acres of land just west of Big Spring Thursday afternoon.

Howard County Volunteer Fire Department units, joined by a strike team composed of state and federal Forestry Service firefighters, battled the blaze well into the evening hours before it was finally extinguished about 10:30 p.m.

No homes were threatened and no injuries were reported from the fire, officials said.

 

HCVFD Chief Tommy Sullivan said the fire began shortly after 3 p.m. when an oil field pump motor shorted. Fed by acres of dry brush and pushed forward by high winds, the fire quickly grew to major proportions.

The area, in the vicinity of Three Mile Lake, hindered firefighting efforts because of the lack of accessible roads.

The biggest problem, however, was the wind, Sullivan said.

“That was the biggest hindrance,” he said. “Because the wind was carrying sparks all over the place, we never could get in front of the fire ... We had to devise a different strategy.”

That different strategy utilized bulldozers and a helicopter provided by the Forestry Service. The bulldozers carved a 360-degree fire break around the blaze, while the helicopter continually dropped water — 1,200 gallons at a time — on the fire from above.

Sullivan welcomed the state and federal assistance.

“They were a tremendous help,” he said. “I’m not territorial at all ... anyone can come play at my fire. When you have those kinds of assets at your disposal, it’s great.”

As well as firefighters performed Thursday, it may only be a preview of things to come. Sullivan said conditions are just too ideal for more wildfires.

“Even if we get a lot of new brush growth, all that dead growth will still be there, and it’s still going to burn,” Sullivan said.

Contact Staff Writer Steve Reagan at 263-7331, ext. 234 or by e-mail at