FIREFIGHTERS BATTLE TWO FIRES AT LAKE SOMERVILLE SUNDAY

  

Multiple crews fought two fires at Lake Somerville throughout Sunday afternoon.

Rocky Creek Volunteer Fire Chief Tim Mantey says firefighters were called out around 12:30 p.m. to a fire on Yegua Creek Park Road.  When they arrived, they found a fire about 4 acres in size that was a flare-up from a previous fire that could have been started by lightning during a passing storm.

Two hand crews, a dozer team, the Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas Parks & Wildlife game wardens and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers responded.  The fire was contained at 12-16 acres.

Mantey says a Type 1 helicopter that was stationed at Easterwood Airport was on scene doing water drops when it spotted a second fire and contacted local firefighters.  The helicopter then began dropping water on the fire, which was contained to 1 acre.  Its cause is unknown.  The Forest Service has a crew out today (Monday) to monitor the fire area.

The two local departments providing assistance at the fires were the Rocky Creek and Meyersville Volunteer Fire Departments.  All crews cleared the scene Sunday at 11 p.m.