Wildfire — Zapata, Texas

2023-08-07 to 2023-08-09 · Zapata, Texas

Event narrative

The Jennings Fire in Zapata County burned 3,506 acres. A Spot Request was received at 2:19 PM CDT and an article from the Zapata County News was used to estimate the start time of the fire at around 10:31AM CDT on August 7th. It was contained at 12:17 PM CDT on August 10th. The event known as the Jennings Fire was estimated to have ignited around 10:31AM CDT about 15 miles northwest of Zapata, TX on August 7th along Texas Highway 16. It burned until the afternoon of August 9th when it was announced to be 100 percent contained at 6:00PM CDT. This wildfire consumed a total of 3,506 acres. A Spot Request submitted by the Texas A&M Forest Service on August 7th and the Zapata County News were used as a guide for ignition time and rapid spread that followed. The Zapata County News reported that it was started by a vehicle fire along Texas Highway 16 that rapidly spread to 10 acres by the time the Zapata County Fire Department was able to arrive on scene. Several brush trucks were getting stuck in the sandy soil, which hindered suppression activities at the start of the fire. The Texas Forest Service arrived on scene at 2:11PM CDT, with a SPOT requested shortly thereafter at 2:19PM CDT.

Wider weather episode

Conditions were very favorable for wildfire spread with high pressure and dry weather in place leading up to and during the day of August 7th. Moderate southeasterly winds combined with cured ground fuels from the developing drought allowed for rapid wildfire growth. The Jennings Fire in central Zapata County ignited the afternoon of August 7th around 1:00 PM CDT and continued until 12:17 PM CDT on August 10th when it was announced it was 100 percent contained. The fire consumed a total of 3,506 acres.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1107205. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.