Houston firefighters scaled back resources at the Caddo fire Wednesday evening after crews reported minimal to no fire activity throughout the day, pushing containment to 90% as officials began the demobilization process.
The fire, burning near Greens Bayou in northeast Houston, was first seen Saturday night.
District Chief Robert Ausmus, incident commander for the Caddo fire, said crews walked and flew the fire line with drones early in the morning and found conditions largely under control despite a stronger-than-usual south wind.
“We did have a south wind that was a little bit stronger today, but with that we had good recovery of humidity overnight, 90%, and then throughout the day it dropped down to 50%,” Ausmus said.
Ausmus said the moisture recovery helped keep fuel from igniting, and the wind ultimately did not create problems.
A handful of burning stumps were found along the line, but crews cut them up and moved the hot material to the interior. No fire conditions escalated. Several partner agencies that had assisted with the response were demobilized, though Houston Fire Department engines and UTVs remained on scene to monitor through the night.
Ausmus said crews plan to walk the line again Thursday morning before making a final call on next steps.
Residents and others moving through the area should expect to see some smoke in the days and weeks ahead.
“Even a week or two from here, there could be stumps and trees deep into the interior that may smolder. They may give off a little smoke. That is expected,” he said.
He urged anyone who spots something concerning to call 911, but noted smoldering in the interior would not be unusual.
Officials also warned of a physical hazard for anyone traveling in the area.
“A lot of trees have burned at the base. They will hollow out and for a long time trees could just fall, and we’ve actually witnessed that already.”
On the health front, some residents reported smoke-related health issues. City and county health departments conducted air quality monitoring in nearby neighborhoods and reported no detectable readings, though monitoring is ongoing.
Ausmus confirmed there have been no injuries to civilians, firefighters, or any other personnel involved in the response.
Captain David Reyes, public information officer for the Houston Fire Department, said officials will determine Thursday morning whether to hold another press conference or issue a written release, depending on conditions.
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