Firefighters and law enforcement officers continued battling the Rio Escondido Fire in Hamilton County late Monday as the wildfire grew to an estimated 2,500 acres and prompted evacuations near Evant.
The fire was reported at 20% containment Monday evening as crews worked to slow its spread and protect homes and other structures.
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office urged residents in threatened areas to evacuate as conditions warranted, while emergency crews worked throughout the area.
Texas Game Wardens said 23 wardens were on scene assisting local and state agencies with evacuations, road closures and other public safety operations.
Wardens were also checking homes in areas threatened by the fire, alerting residents as flames approached and helping ensure they could evacuate safely.
At the request of incident command, pilots with the Texas Game Warden Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program deployed drones over areas affected by the fire to search for hot spots around homes and other structures.
When drone operators identify a potential hot spot, game wardens on the ground are sent to inspect the property, assess conditions and check for anyone who may remain there.
The fire also disrupted electrical service in some affected areas as emergency operations continued.
Officials urged residents to follow evacuation instructions and other directions from local authorities and to avoid affected areas so firefighters and other first responders can work safely.
The Rio Escondido Fire remained active Monday night as crews continued containment and public safety operations.
Texas Reporter 