PRESIDIO — A fire broke out about 11 miles west of Presidio on Friday afternoon, prompting a multi-agency response including the Presidio and Marfa Fire Departments, the Texas Forest Service, and Los Bomberos de Ojinaga. As of Wednesday morning, Presidio County Emergency Management Coordinator Gary Mitschke declared the fire “100% contained” on the American side of the river, with a few hot spots remaining on the Mexican side.
All told, the fire spanned 318 acres. The cause of the fire remains unknown.
Mitschke said that this fire marked a few firsts, including the use of air resources that spread water and flame retardant from above so close to the river. There was only one hitch: the pilots spotted drones in the area, which — by regulation — required them to immediately leave the scene. He wasn’t sure whether the offending drones were operated by law enforcement or private citizens. “Being along the border, it’s anyone’s guess,” he said.
Mitschke said that having fires on the border can be “a real challenge.” The Texas Forest Service cannot cross the river, whether by plane or with boots on the ground — despite the fact that the river corridor provides excellent fuel, particularly with recent low water levels.
The fire petered out around 14 miles south of Ruidosa, and about 8 miles away from the gas plant outside of Presidio. Officials had initially worried about the fire reaching the gas plant but were able to stop its spread in time.
The fire sparked a conversation at Wednesday morning’s commissioners court meeting about how the county could be better positioned to help in the event of future fires. Mitschke would like to eventually see a county-operated bulldozer to build firebreaks, both as an emergency response and a preventative measure.
Deirdre Hisler, candidate for precinct 1 commissioner, also would like to come to an agreement with outside agencies to require fuel for response aircraft to be purchased from county-operated airports — for this particular fire, airborne crews dispatched from as far away as Abilene and Alamogordo, New Mexico. “That way, the counties can receive some kind of a bump,” she said.
County Judge Joe Portillo was impressed by the cooperation between numerous agencies. “We had great support,” he said.
Correction: an earlier version of this article put the total acreage at 318,000 acres instead of 318. The Big Bend Sentinel regrets the error.