Editor’s note: This is a first person account of a fire that occurred over the weekend.
An accidental spark from welding equipment ignited dry grass Saturday afternoon, setting off a fast-moving fire that ultimately burned more than 90 acres of pastureland outside Dublin. While the conditions were primed for rapid spread, a swift and coordinated response from neighbors, volunteers, and multiple fire departments kept the situation from becoming far worse.
Controlled burns have long been a familiar winter practice in Texas — a natural way to clear unwanted weeds and renew the land, much like nature once did before fences and roads divided the prairie. This fire, however, was not planned. We were returning home from our granddaughter’s basketball game when my niece called to tell us there was a fire in our 80-acre field — the same pasture where a herd of yearling heifers had been grazing.
Andrew Wheeler was among the first to respond. While hauling a road grader for Eddie Leatherwood along County Road 1702, he heard the call on the radio and saw smoke rising nearby. He drove straight to the scene, unloaded the grader, and began cutting firebreaks — a step firefighters later said played a key role in protecting nearby homes and pastures.
The Dublin and Proctor Fire Departments arrived soon after. By then, a significant portion of the field had burned, and thick smoke filled the sky. Family members and neighbors quickly gathered to help round up the frightened cattle. Working together, we loaded them through the chute and into a stock trailer while feeling the heat of the fire at our backs, moving them safely out of danger.
Before long, nearly ten fire rigs were on scene. Nearby home of Karen Bamber was threatened, along with neighboring pastures stretching for miles and a field containing hundreds of hay bales. Firefighters were amazing as they worked steadily, refilling from a nurse tanker and returning again, and again to the fire line. Additional departments from Erath County, Comanche, Gustine, Harbin, and Carlton, joined the effort, reflecting the strong tradition of rural cooperation.
Residents also stepped in. Gabriel Hernandez, manager of the Postmus dairy arrived with a large loader and worked alongside crews, scooping up burning grass and helping widen firebreaks. Neighbors and volunteers checked on one another, delivered equipment, and provided support wherever it was needed.
Earlier in the week, Proctor Fire Chief Russell Johnson and his wife, Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator Melinda Johnson, attended a chiefs’ meeting warning that dry conditions and warm temperatures had placed the region on high alert for wildfire risk — and this became one of the first major responses of the season. During the incident, Melinda and other volunteers provided water, food, and first aid to firefighters while also helping refill trucks as supplies ran low.
Firefighters later noted that welding sparks are a common source of grass fires and encouraged landowners and workers to have ample water and pumping equipment on hand when working in dry coastal fields, stating 200 gallons of water would be about the amount needed to stop a fire from a welder. In this case, the crew had limited water on site, and the fire spread quickly in the windy conditions.
We are deeply grateful for the firefighters who time, and time again help our communities, the volunteers, and neighbors who also stepped in without hesitation. They worked side by side to protect the Bamber home, livestock, and the land we all depend on. Watching their steady effort and quiet teamwork was a powerful reminder that true heroes are often the people right next door and that the strength of a community is revealed most clearly when people come together in times of need.
As we reflect on the day, we are also reminded that many of these community fire departments depend primarily on donations. If their efforts meant something to you — as they certainly did to us — consider supporting your local volunteer firefighters so they can continue answering the call when it matters most.
Other fires in the past weekend included: Sunday, Feb. 8 Grass fire CR 455 and 177 near 377 North Grass fire out of control 2600 block of Beacon Lake Drive in Mountain Lakes Grass fire reported in the 200 block of CR 428 Grass fire reported 800 block of CR 492 Monday, Feb. 9 Grass fire reported 4300 block of CR 417 Large fire reported near structure 2300 block CR 424 Where to mail monetary donations to area fire departments. Any amount helps!
■ Blanket – PO Box 72, Blanket, TX 76432
■ Carlton – PO Box 41, Carlton, TX 76436
■ Comanche – 219 North Austin, Comanche, TX 76442
■ DeLeon – PO Box 491, DeLeon, TX 76444
■ Dublin – PO Box 12, Dublin, TX 76446
■ Energy – PO Box 5, Energy, TX 76452
■ Evant – PO Box 308, Evant, TX 76525
■ Goldthwaite – PO Box 38, Goldthwaite, TX 76844
■ Gustine – PO Box 98, Gustine, TX 76455
■ Hamilton – PO Box 583, Hamilton, TX 76531
■ Hico – PO Box 383, Hico, TX 76457
■ Jonesboro – PO Box 6, Jonesboro, TX 76538
■ May – PO Box 15, May,
TX 76857
■ Pottsville – 12060 FM 218 W, Pottsville, TX 76565
■ Priddy – PO Box 123, Priddy, TX 76870
■ Proctor – PO Box 877, Proctor, TX 76468
■ Promontory Park – 7150 FM 2318, Comanche, TX 76442
■ Shive – 140 CR 518, Hamilton, TX 76531
■ Sipe Springs – 4417 FM 1477, Sipe Springs, TX 76442
■ Zephyr – PO Box 569, Zephyr, TX 76890