Spring Fire Department's Wildland Team spent Labor Day weekend battling the Alma Fire near Ennis, the department's third out-of-area wildfire deployment this season.
The department's Type 6 engine and crew worked multiple days to help halt the fire's spread and strengthen containment lines, Spring Fire said in a post on X on Monday, Sept. 7.
The Alma Fire broke out Saturday evening, Sept. 5, in Ellis County east of the community of Alma, moving north from FM 1182, the Dallas Morning News reported. County officials ordered evacuations along Zmolek and Bruce roads and FM 85, directing residents to Cowboy Church of Ennis on the Interstate 45 service road.
The Ellis County Sheriff's Office reported the fire contained by 9:45 p.m. Saturday, with all roads reopened. By Sunday morning, Sept. 6, a Texas A&M Forest Service tracker cited by the Dallas Morning News showed the fire had burned approximately 653 acres and reached 90% containment.
No structures were lost.
The Alma Volunteer Fire Department said Saturday afternoon that crews were mopping up hot spots. Spring Fire's wildland crew continued reinforcing fire lines through the holiday weekend.
The Ennis deployment marks at least the third time this fire season that Spring Fire has sent its Wildland Team outside Harris County. As we reported Sept. 1, the department and Klein Fire Department deployed together to the Ross Fire in Palo Pinto County, which burned more than 85,000 acres. Before that, Captain Adams, Firefighter Dufford and Firefighter Humes worked the 650-acre Corky Fire near Wills Point in Van Zandt County. Adams directed aerial bucket drops as engine boss, according to a department Instagram post on Aug. 28.
The department also noted in a Sept. 2 post on X that its crews had assisted with a fire called the MUD Road Fire, though details on that incident were not available.
As of early September, Texas had nearly 100 active wildfires burning across 70 counties, Spring Fire said in that Sept. 2 post. Burn bans were in effect across North Texas due to extreme heat and dry vegetation, according to the Dallas Morning News.
The Alma Fire deployment was ongoing as of Monday, Sept. 7. The department did not announce a return date.
