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Firefighters extinguish 12,000 acre blaze in Brooks County
Comments 0 | Recommend 0FALFURRIAS - Fire ravaged about 12,000 acres in Brooks County early Wednesday before authorities subdued the blaze.
The fire ignited in Duval County about 2 p.m. Tuesday. High winds swept it into Brooks County, where 137 rescue personnel responded from 29 agencies.
Help came from as far as Laredo and Kingsville. Departments including Freer, Alice, Pharr, Edinburg, Mission and McAllen also responded. Tony Peña, Hidalgo County emergency manager, said the flames injured no one and he was not aware of structural damage.
Authorities closed State Highway 285, and it remains closed this morning pending evaluation of the area.
The fire appears to be under control, and authorities are making a few last checks for smoldering areas.
“The wind is not blowing right now,” Peña said. “Hopefully it wills stay like that.”
Many fire and emergency officials, including Peña, went without sleep to battle the blaze.
Officials said it appears the blaze swept through brush land and did no major structure damage.
This time of year challenges firefighters. Dry conditions and high winds mean once a fire starts, it moves quickly.
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