Another grass fire was burning in the Texas Panhandle, south of Channing, on Sunday, March 8.
As of 11:11 p.m., the Texas A&M Forest Service said the Maroon Fire was an estimated 500 acres and 40% contained in Oldham and Hartley counties.
U.S. Highway 385 from Channing to Boys Ranch was closed. The intersection at RM 1061 closed, as well as the Highway 354/FM 767 intersection in Hartley County, as multiple agencies were working to contain the fire.
In this February file photo, smoke is seen in the distance from the road block at the intersection of FM1061 and FM2381 as crews battle the Lavender Fire.
“Breezy winds will continue tonight and again tomorrow and it will be very warm and dry,” the National Weather Service Amarillo office said Sunday evening on Facebook about Monday’s forecast. “Active and new fires will be able to spread quickly.”
The fire is north of the site of the Lavender Fire, which started in Oldham County along U.S. 385 just south of Tascosa, spread to Potter County and burned about 18,423 acres in mid-February during an outbreak of fires in the area.
The Texas Panhandle region continues to face elevated to critical fire weather, but some rain and storms are possible Tuesday.
This is a developing story; more information will be added as it becomes available.
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This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Maroon Fire spreads in Oldham, Hartley counties in Texas Panhandle