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Over 250 acres burned in large grass fire in Wise County

The fire could be seen just east of FM 51 and southwest of Boyd.

BOYD, Texas — This story was updated Tuesday with new details about the fire.

Crews in Wise County battled a large grass fire in an area near Boyd throughout Monday.

The fire could be seen just east of FM 51 and southwest of Boyd. Officials said crews responded to the fire just after 1 p.m. The initial report was the fire was 20 by 20 feet.

Due to critical fire conditions which included low humidity and high winds, the fire quickly spread and threatened several homes in the area, officials said. The first units that got to the fire were told to protect all structures. They were not able to make progress on stopping the spread of the fire until reinforcements arrived. 

At one point, officials said there were between 20-30 homes threatened. 

The Wise County Emergency Operations Center in Decatur was activated to coordinate with state and mutual aid resources and provide operational support.

The Wise County fire marshal said only one structure was lost but that it was abandoned. There were no reported injuries.

As of 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, officials said the fire is still considered active, but it is 90% contained and estimated to be between 250-300 acres.

The fire appears to be a roadside start but the cause is unknown and remains under investigation, according to officials. 

On Monday, a plane could be seen dropping a red fire retardant onto the area to help contain the fire in the late afternoon. The Texas Forest Service helped with ground support that included two dozers.

The Texas A&M Forest Service said the fire had burned an estimated 265 acres. The fire marshal said there were no other structures affected.

Crews were still working to put out hot spots late Monday evening. Officials said smaller crews will be monitoring smoldering brush during the overnight hours.

As of Tuesday, multiple residents have offered to donate water and supplies. Officials are asking people to not bring donations to the scene. Residents should contact their local fire department to drop off donations at the station.

Wise County has a burn ban in place and officials are asking residents to remain aware and not engage in any activity that may start a fire.  

The departments that responded to Monday's fire included crews from Decatur, Paradise, Boyd, Bridgeport, Salt Creek and task forces from Denton, Parker and Tarrant counties.

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