Parker County Grassfire: Massive Blaze Burns Out

PARKER COUNTY, TX — A large grassfire in Parker County, near Willow Park, burned 2,153 acres of land Monday afternoon. Around a dozen homes in the area were evacuated ahead of the fire, but no injuries and no major structural damage was reported.

A disaster area was been declared by the Parker County Judge, which allowed Fire Departments to access private land with heavy equipment.

Interstates 20 and 30 were also temporarily closed Monday while thick smoke obscured drivers' visibility.

According to a statement from Aledo ISD, students two elementary schools were evacuated to safer buildings within the district. Although traffic was sticky and travel was slow, all students were safely reunited with their parents.

A second grass fire that popped up in Parker County at around 2:50 p.m. Monday was quelled after burning grassy land south of Highway 199 and West of Ross Lane in North-Central Parker County. Evacuations were ordered for locations south of the area in question, but no injuries were reported in the vicinity.

The Texas A&M Forest Service provided assistance with battling the fire. Several Parker County fire departments also responded to the blaze.

Red Flag Warnings were issued for most of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex Monday, but the National Weather Service recommends that everyone in North Texas avoid outdoor burning, welding and even tossing cigarette butts outside until heavier rains douse the area.

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